Technology · India Bureau
Chinese smartphone makers deepen India dependence despite bilateral tensions
Major Chinese handset brands have sharply increased their reliance on the Indian market, with some deriving nearly one-third of global shipments from the country even as geopolitical friction persists between New Delhi and Beijing.
LSN India ·
Chinese smartphone manufacturers have become increasingly dependent on India's massive consumer market, with several brands now drawing a substantial portion of their worldwide sales from the region despite ongoing political tensions.
Vivo and Oppo have particularly deepened their India exposure, with the former accounting for 34 percent of its global shipments from India during calendar year 2025, while Oppo's share stood at 23 percent. Realme and OnePlus showed even stronger dependence, with India representing 35 percent and 32 percent of their global shipments respectively during the same period.
The figures underscore the critical importance of India's smartphone market, which remains one of the world's largest by volume. Despite periodic frictions between India and China, including trade restrictions and border disputes, Chinese manufacturers have continued to invest heavily in local manufacturing, distribution networks, and consumer engagement across the subcontinent.
The sustained focus reflects the scale of India's consumer electronics opportunity, where hundreds of millions of potential buyers remain within the smartphone adoption curve. For Chinese brands, the Indian market has become essential to achieving global sales targets and offsetting slower growth in mature markets elsewhere.
The reliance, however, also exposes these companies to policy risks in a geopolitical environment where India has periodically tightened scrutiny of Chinese companies and investments.