Xiaomi Overtakes Samsung To Lead India’s Smartphone Market

China’s Xiaomi has regained its position as the leader in India’s smartphone industry after six quarters, overtaking South Korea’s Samsung, which has now fallen to third place in the June quarter. Vivo, another Chinese brand, secured the second spot as Chinese manufacturers regain their footing in the highly competitive market.

According to market research firm Canalys, Xiaomi’s shipments grew by 24% annually, increasing its market share to 18% in the June quarter from 15% a year earlier. Vivo also experienced growth, with a 4% annual increase, maintaining its volume share at 18%. In contrast, Samsung’s shipments decreased by 8%, resulting in a volume share of 17%.

Realme and Oppo, both Chinese brands, ranked fourth and fifth with volume shares of 12% and 11%, respectively. Overall, total mobile shipments saw a marginal growth of 1% year-on-year in the June quarter, reaching 36.4 million units. Canalys noted that inventory levels remained high, with some vendors continuing to launch new devices in higher price segments while others focused on reducing existing stocks to optimize inventory ahead of the festival season.

Sanyam Chaurasia, a senior analyst at Canalys, remarked that top mass-market brands are expected to use early monsoon sales to clear inventory, making space for new models before the festive season.

B. Muralikrishnan, president of Xiaomi India, expressed pride in reclaiming the top spot, emphasizing the company’s broader goals. He stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter), “While reclaiming the top spot in the Indian smartphone market is an achievement we are proud of, our priorities go beyond rankings…our deep understanding of India coupled with our inherent technological strength has allowed us to become an integral part of the country’s social fabric.”