Apple is significantly expanding its retail presence in India with the announcement of its fifth company-owned store, scheduled to open on December 11 at DLF Mall of India in Noida. This marks Apple's second retail outlet in the National Capital Region following its Delhi store launch in April 2023.
Apple's Strategic Retail Expansion
The Noida store opening represents the third new Apple retail location in 2025, following successful launches in Bengaluru on September 2 and Pune on September 4. This expansion directly aligns with Apple CEO Tim Cook's earlier commitment to establish four additional stores beyond the initial Mumbai and Delhi locations that debuted in April 2023.
Apple's growing retail network underscores India's increasing importance as a key market for the technology giant. The company has recorded impressive performance metrics, with expectations to sell approximately 15.5 million iPhones in India during this calendar year. This would mark the first time Apple achieves a double-digit market share by volume, crossing the significant 10% threshold.
Record-Breaking Market Performance
Recent data from market research firm IDC reveals Apple's remarkable ascent in the Indian smartphone landscape. According to their November 11 report, Apple achieved its highest-ever ranking in India, becoming the country's fourth-largest smartphone seller by volume. The company demonstrated exceptional growth with a 25% year-on-year sales increase, reaching nearly 5 million units sold during the September quarter alone.
Tim Cook has consistently highlighted India as a standout market during earnings calls. The company has maintained an impressive streak of 15 consecutive quarters of record revenue in India, demonstrating sustained growth momentum.
During Apple's January 30 analyst call for the December quarter, Cook expressed particular enthusiasm about India's potential. "I'm particularly keen on India. India set a December quarter record during the quarter. And we're opening more stores there. We've announced that we're going to open four new stores there," Cook stated.
He further emphasized the market opportunity, noting that "The iPhone was the top-selling model in India for the quarter. And it's the second largest smartphone market in the world and the third largest for PCs and tablets, and so there's a huge market. And we have a very modest share in these markets, and so I think there's lots of upside there."
Future Expansion and Store Experience
Apple has already planned a sixth retail store for India, though sources indicate it won't open within the current calendar year. The sixth outlet's official opening is scheduled "well beyond" the current calendar year, according to informed sources, though specific timing regarding the ongoing fiscal year remains unconfirmed.
The new Apple Noida store will offer customers comprehensive access to Apple's latest product ecosystem. Visitors can explore the complete iPhone 17 lineup alongside M5-powered iPad Pro and MacBook Pro 14" models. The store will provide expert support from Apple Specialists, Creatives, Geniuses, and dedicated Business teams.
Today at Apple sessions will offer free daily educational experiences covering photography, art, music, and coding, all led by Apple Creatives to foster learning and creativity among customers.
Manufacturing and Operational Growth
Beyond retail expansion, Apple has substantially scaled its Indian operations throughout 2025. The company expanded domestic assembly lines in May, responding to tariff pressures on China from US President Donald Trump.
Despite Trump's subsequent pressure to shift manufacturing to the US rather than India, Apple's manufacturing partners including Tata Electronics and Bharat FIH Limited have significantly increased iPhone assembly capacity. This expansion supports exports of approximately 60 million smartphones from India.
The manufacturing scale-up has yielded impressive results, with Apple's exports from India exceeding $10 billion during the first six months of the current fiscal year, according to senior officials.
Concurrently, Apple is expanding its engineering and office operations across India. In September, the company secured a 500,000 square-foot office space in Hyderabad for a new facility, further cementing its long-term commitment to the Indian market.
