India's Electronics Import Surge: A Double-Edged Sword for Growth

India's electronics imports surpassed USD 100 billion in 2025-26, marking a 17.76% increase from the previous year. This surge indicates a growing reliance on imported semiconductors and components despite local manufacturing efforts. Meanwhile, electronics exports rose by 24.7%, led by smartphone shipments, yet lagged significantly behind imports.

India's electronics import numbers have broken through the USD 100 billion threshold for the fiscal year 2025-26, according to the latest figures released by the Commerce Ministry. Imports grew 17.76% year-on-year to USD 116.17 billion from USD 98.65 billion.

The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) commented that the data showcases India's continued reliance on imported semiconductors and components. Despite a push towards domestic manufacturing, these imports remain crucial to meet the country’s demands.

Conversely, while electronics exports experienced a substantial increase of 24.7%, reaching USD 48.0 billion primarily due to smartphone shipments, they still considerably lag behind the massive import figures.