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Revenue for the financial year ended March 2026 rose from nearly $9 billion a year earlier, driven mainly by demand for iPhones, Mac computers and services. The increase came as Apple widened its company-owned retail network, expanded financing options and deepened distribution beyond the largest metropolitan centres.

The performance marks a sharp acceleration from the roughly $8 billion recorded in the year ended March 2024. It also underlines Apple’s ability to gain ground in a price-sensitive market where devices using Google’s Android operating system account for the overwhelming majority of smartphone sales.

The iPhone remained Apple’s largest source of revenue in the country. Sales were supported by premiumisation in the smartphone market, trade-in programmes and instalment plans that reduced the upfront cost of devices. Older iPhone models also continued to attract buyers after price reductions following new product launches.

Apple does not disclose country-level sales in its global financial statements. The India figure reflects sales booked through its local operation and may include products distributed through company stores, online channels, authorised resellers and large electronics chains.

The company now operates six physical stores across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune and Noida. Its latest outlet opened in Borivali, Mumbai, in February, adding to Apple BKC, Apple Saket, Apple Hebbal, Apple Koregaon Park and Apple Noida.

Further retail expansion is being prepared, including another store in Bengaluru. Apple has also been recruiting specialists, technical staff and customer-support employees for multiple locations, indicating that its direct-sales presence will continue to grow.

Company-owned stores offer Apple greater control over pricing, product presentation and after-sales support. They also provide space for training sessions, product demonstrations and technical services, helping the group build customer loyalty in a market where many purchases have traditionally been made through third-party retailers.

The Apple Store online, launched in 2020, remains an important part of the company’s strategy. It allows customers across the country to access trade-ins, custom Mac configurations, education pricing and direct delivery, including in cities without a physical Apple outlet.

Apple’s sales expansion has coincided with a substantial increase in local manufacturing. Contract manufacturers Foxconn and Tata Electronics have raised iPhone assembly capacity, while suppliers are expanding component operations to support a broader production ecosystem.

The country is expected to account for about a quarter of global iPhone production during 2026. Apple has also been working to supply a larger share of devices sold in the United States from factories operated by its partners in the country, reducing dependence on China.

The manufacturing network includes operations in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, with further investment planned in assembly, enclosures, display components and semiconductor-related infrastructure. The expansion is being supported by production incentives and proposed tax concessions for foreign companies supplying equipment to contract manufacturers.

Authorities have proposed extending exemptions covering machinery provided to electronics producers until 2041. The measures are designed to reduce tax uncertainty for global suppliers and encourage longer-term investment in mobile phones, laptops, tablets and wearable devices.

Local production has helped Apple avoid some import duties and improve product availability. However, the company still relies heavily on components sourced from abroad, and manufacturing costs can remain higher than in China because of logistics, tariffs and a less developed supplier base.

India delivered another record quarter for Apple during the three months ended June. Mac sales reached an all-time high in the country, while demand for iPhones and other devices continued to expand.

Globally, Apple reported revenue of $109.42 billion for its fiscal third quarter, up 16 per cent from a year earlier. iPhone revenue climbed 22 per cent to $54.25 billion, while Mac revenue advanced 29 per cent to $10.35 billion.

Despite its growth, Apple remains a relatively small player by unit volume in the country’s smartphone market. Its share is considerably stronger in the premium category, where consumers are showing greater willingness to spend on high-end devices, financing plans and connected services.

The laboratories will be established across Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities under the IndiaAI FutureSkills programme. They are intended to provide practical training in artificial intelligence, data annotation, data curation and applied data science, giving students in technical institutions access to infrastructure and courses aligned with emerging employment needs.

The 58 Centres of Excellence will be developed across states and Union Territories through partnerships involving state administrations, academic institutions and industry. Their mandate is expected to include research, product development, startup support, workforce training and the application of AI to local economic and public-service challenges.

The expansion forms part of the ₹10,372 crore IndiaAI Mission approved in March 2024. The programme is structured around seven areas covering computing capacity, indigenous foundation models, application development, skills, datasets, startup financing and safe deployment of artificial intelligence.

Twenty-seven Data and AI Labs have already been established with the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology in Tier-2 and Tier-3 locations. The additional 543 facilities will take the planned national network to 570 laboratories, extending the initiative through ITIs and polytechnics in all states and Union Territories.

Courses are being designed to offer both foundational instruction and sector-focused training. Planned subjects include data cleaning, Python-based annotation and curation, data science, generative AI awareness and the responsible use of automated tools. The laboratories are also expected to provide hands-on access to computing systems rather than relying solely on classroom theory.

The programme addresses a persistent concentration of technology education, research institutions and high-value digital employment in major cities. Students in smaller industrial and educational centres often face limited access to specialised trainers, computing infrastructure and industry networks, even as companies seek workers capable of handling data-intensive operations and AI-supported processes.

Industrial training institutes and polytechnics have been chosen because of their role in preparing students for technical occupations. Integrating AI modules into these institutions could connect traditional vocational education with changing requirements in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, agriculture, retail, financial services and public administration.

The government is also developing standardised curricula for different levels of technical ability. The YUVA AI for All programme supports introductory literacy, while the Skilling for AI Readiness framework offers nationally aligned learning pathways for school students, educators, technical trainees and workers without formal computing backgrounds.

More than 120 AI-related courses are available through the Skill India Digital Hub, including 11 focused specifically on generative artificial intelligence. A 15-hour course titled AI to be Aware introduces learners to generative tools, practical applications, limitations and responsible usage under the National Skills Qualification Framework.

The laboratory rollout is being accompanied by a wider effort to strengthen research and deployment. The IndiaAI Mission has identified 762 potential AI use cases across 62 ministries, covering areas such as healthcare, agriculture, climate management, cybersecurity, financial regulation and government service delivery.

Eleven national hackathons and innovation challenges have been launched to move selected ideas from initial development towards pilot projects and wider implementation. The government has also approved applications for AI solutions designed around domestic languages, datasets and operational conditions.

The common computing programme has onboarded more than 38,000 graphics processing units, which are being offered to startups, researchers and academic institutions at subsidised rates. Access to such computing power is essential for training and testing large models, but costs remain a barrier for smaller companies and institutions.

Twelve organisations and consortia have been selected to develop large and small language models using domestic datasets. Participants include startups, technology companies and academic groups working on multilingual, multimodal and sector-specific systems. The resulting models are expected to support government applications and become available to the broader research and startup ecosystem.

Talent development under the mission includes support for more than 8,000 undergraduate students, 5,000 postgraduate students and 500 doctoral researchers. The laboratory network is designed to widen the entry point further by reaching students enrolled in vocational and diploma-level programmes.

Implementation will depend on the availability of qualified instructors, reliable connectivity, maintained hardware and sustained coordination between institutions and industry. Training outcomes will also need to be measured against employment, certification and practical competence rather than the number of laboratories formally approved.

The most severe damage was reported from Idukki, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta, where saturated hillsides collapsed, rivers crossed warning levels and rescue teams moved families from vulnerable areas. The state government directed district administrations to prepare for emergencies and assigned ministers to coordinate relief operations in badly affected areas.

Sumathi, a resident of Kudayathoor near Thodupuzha, was killed when a landslide struck her house at Adurmala around 2 am. Her husband Ravi and son Ratheesh were pulled from the debris with injuries. The building was destroyed, and rescuers recovered Sumathi’s body after a search lasting several hours.

Another landslide at Kolahalamedu in Vagamon killed 72-year-old Prabhakaran Nair. A mass of earth crashed through a window and buried the room where he was sleeping. Fire and Rescue Services personnel, police and residents used an earthmover to clear the wreckage before recovering his body.

Joseph Johnny and his mother Regina Johnny were also killed after a landslide buried a house near Poonjar in Kottayam district. Search and rescue teams were deployed to the area as heavy rain continued to restrict access through hilly roads.

The weather department issued red warnings for Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod, where isolated rainfall exceeding 20 centimetres within 24 hours was considered possible. Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Idukki were also placed under red warnings for rainfall ranging between 12 and 20 centimetres.

Orange warnings covering Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Palakkad indicated the likelihood of very heavy rainfall. The warnings covered nearly the entire state and reflected the possibility of flash floods, landslides, uprooted trees, power disruption and damage to weak structures.

An offshore trough extending from south Gujarat to Kerala, combined with strong lower-level westerly winds, intensified the rainfall. Rain or thundershowers were forecast across most parts of Kerala through the weekend, although the heaviest phase was expected on Saturday.

Flooding spread across central districts as rivers and streams overflowed. Erattupetta was inundated after the Meenachil River breached its banks, while the Mundakkayam causeway went under water. Sections of the Pala-Poonjar road became impassable, affecting movement between several towns and villages.

Ranni in Pathanamthitta faced extensive flooding, with water entering the Ittiyappara bus stand, shops and houses. Landslides were reported from surrounding highland areas, while the Pamba and other rivers rose rapidly following overnight rainfall.

Thodupuzha town and nearby settlements experienced waterlogging after streams spilled into residential colonies. The Thodupuzha River crossed the danger mark, while the Muvattupuzha River moved above its warning level. Residents along riverbanks and in low-lying areas were told to prepare for evacuation.

Authorities increased controlled releases from the Malankara Dam as inflows surged. Four shutters that had been opened by 1.5 metres were scheduled to be raised in stages to 2.5 metres. Officials warned that the release could further increase levels in the Thodupuzha and Muvattupuzha rivers.

Road travel was disrupted across Idukki after landslips blocked the Moolamattom-Vagamon, Vagamon-Ettumanoor, Vagamon-Upputhara and Kattappana-Vazhavara routes. Debris also halted traffic near Machiplavu on the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway, where a car and a heavy vehicle were caught in a landslide.