India’s tablet market saw mixed trends in 2025. Shipments reached 4.49 million units, but the overall market still declined 21.7 percent year over year, according to new data from International Data Corporation (IDC). The drop was mainly due to a steep fall in commercial orders, even as consumer demand continued to grow.
Tablet shipments struggled through most of the year but improved toward the end. In Q4 2025, shipments grew 11.3 percent year over year, driven largely by stronger consumer demand during festive sales and year-end promotions.
The consumer segment performed well overall. Shipments in this category grew 19.7 percent year over year in 2025, helped by discounts, aggressive online promotions, and steady demand across e-commerce platforms and retail stores. Consumer shipments also rose sharply in the final quarter, increasing 27.1 percent year over year in Q4.
In contrast, the commercial segment declined 55.1 percent year over year during the year. IDC said the drop was mainly due to delayed government orders and postponed education-related projects tied to election manifestos. Shipments to the education sector fell 62.2 percent, while government purchases dropped 55 percent. Commercial shipments remained weak in the final quarter as well, falling 17.3 percent year over year.
Product preferences also shifted during the year. Detachable tablets, which can be paired with keyboards and used like laptops, grew 20.1 percent year over year. Meanwhile, slate tablets declined 34.6 percent, as competition from laptops and large-screen smartphones increased.
“Consumer demand strengthened through the year as vendors leaned into festive promotions, wider offline distribution, and feature-led differentiation,” said Priyansh Tiwari, research analyst at IDC India & South Asia. He added that features such as 5G connectivity, AI-powered productivity tools, and smart note-taking capabilities are helping tablets evolve beyond media consumption.
Among brands, Samsung Electronics led the market with a 37.2 percent share, supported by strong sales in both consumer and commercial segments. Lenovo ranked second with 14.8 percent share, helped by strong growth in consumer shipments.
Xiaomi took the third spot with 12.8 percent share, driven largely by festive e-commerce sales and competitively priced models. Apple followed with 12 percent share, supported by demand for its iPad Pro and iPad Air lineup. Acer rounded out the top five with 7.5 percent share, aided by education and enterprise deployments.
