Election Fuelled Growth Of India's PC & Tablet Market PC and tablet shipments to India set to grow 11 per cent in 2024 and a further 15 per cent in 2025, according to Canalys, a market research firm

In Q1 2024, the Indian PC market, encompassing desktops, notebooks and tablets, experienced 9 per cent year-on-year growth, with total shipments reaching 4.3 million units. This growth was largely fueled by a 37 per cent surge in tablet shipments, totaling 1.3 million units. Desktops saw a more moderate increase of 9 per cent, with 938,000 units shipped, whereas notebook shipments declined by 4 per cent, falling to 2.0 million units, according to Canalys, a market research firm.

The positive start to the year bodes well for extended strong recovery, with PC and tablet shipments to India set to grow 11 per cent in 2024 and a further 15 per cent in 2025, said the forecast. The commercial segment was bolstered by government tenders that were expedited ahead of the elections, while the SMB sector saw growth due to a few deals closing at the end of the quarter. However, the consumer segment struggled with high inventory levels and delayed shipments.

The Indian PC market (excluding tablets) remained relatively flat as vendors focused on clearing excess inventory and normalizing stock levels. The tablet market experienced robust growth, driven mainly by education demand. The long-awaited tender from the state of Uttar Pradesh saw partial fulfillment, with Samsung and Acer meeting most of its demands.

"India's commercial sector will be a strong growth driver," said Ashweej Aithal, analyst at Canalys. "Customers across enterprises, SMBs and the public sector will contribute to a large refresh cycle spurred by the end of support for Windows 10 devices and the rising availability of AI-capable PCs. The tablet market has a strong pipeline from substantial education tenders that are anticipated to close this year."

The introduction of on-device AI capabilities from chipset manufacturers and OEMs will buoy this transition. The rise of other use cases like gaming and content creation will also help support a push toward premiumization. For tablets, the rollout of 5G infrastructure will act as a tailwind supporting longer-term device refreshes.

Local manufacturing has been a focal point in India for over a year, with major players actively collaborating with Production Linked Incentive (PLI) approved OEM partners. "The reliance on foreign-sourced components has pushed the Indian government to introduce initiatives that boost the domestic semiconductor industry," said Aithal. "Self-sufficiency in this sector is a long way off and will require substantial investment in research, capacity building, and the development of supporting industries. However, any progress in this area will provide a boost not only to meeting local demand but also in positioning India as a rising player in the global export market," the report quoted.