Apple is no longer just selling iPhones in India as it quietly builds a Rs 650 crore global software hub

Beyond breaking sales records and manufacturing iPhones, Apple's new Rs 650 crore software revenue proves the tech giant is quietly turning India into its next major global engineering hub.

In Short

• Apple generated ₹650 crore from software development in India during FY26
• Nearly 97% of this software work directly supported Apple's global operations
• Apple India crossed a historic ₹1 lakh crore in total revenue while rival Samsung saw a decline

When we think of Apple in India, we usually think of people buying the latest iPhones or massive factories assembling devices. But Apple is quietly changing its game plan. The Cupertino-based tech giant is steadily turning India into a major centre for its software development and global support network.

According to recent regulatory filings cited by the Economic Times, a direct subsidiary named Apple Operations India generated Rs 650 crore from software development in the financial year 2026 (FY26). Interestingly, the company made zero revenue from this segment just a year earlier in FY25.

More Than Just Manufacturing

For a long time, Apple's presence in India was defined by manufacturing support and sales. Now, the company is taking on a much bigger role.

The filings reveal that Apple Operations India's total revenue crossed Rs 1,400 crore in FY26, a massive jump from just Rs 318 crore in FY25. Along with software development, its manufacturing support revenue nearly doubled to Rs 520 crore. As a result, the subsidiary's net profit surged to Rs 103 crore, up from Rs 28 crore the previous year.

What makes this shift important is who this work is for. About 97% of the activities carried out by Apple Operations India were for Apple’s global operations, including Apple Inc. This means the Indian team is not just building software for the local market; they are directly integrated into Apple’s international systems.

Mohit Yadav, founder of business intelligence firm Alt Info, told the Economic Times this points to a major restructuring. It shows that Apple is positioning India as a global engineering and project management hub, moving far beyond just assembling hardware.

The 1 Lakh Crore Milestone

While the software business is booming, Apple's hardware sales remain unstoppable. Data from market intelligence firm Tofler shows that Apple India’s total revenue surged by 32% to reach a historic Rs 1,04,607 crore in FY26. To put that in perspective, revenue stood at Rs 79,060 crore in FY25.

Profits are growing even faster. Apple India’s net profit jumped by a massive 66% to hit Rs 5,311 crore in FY26. The company is clearly selling more premium devices and making better margins on them, despite spending Rs 96,224 crore in total expenses.

Beating the Competition

Apple’s aggressive growth comes at a time when the smartphone industry is facing higher prices due to memory and RAM shortages. Despite these hurdles, Apple’s smartphone volume in India grew by an impressive 24%.

On the other hand, its biggest rival, Samsung’s Indian mobile-phone business recorded a slight revenue decline.

The message from these numbers is clear. From manufacturing the latest iPhones to selling a record number of devices, and now building global software systems, India has officially become one of the most important markets in Apple’s global empire.

- Ends