In the third quarter of 2025, India’s tablet market shipped 1.33 million devices, a 19.7% decrease from the previous year. The decline was mostly attributable to a 53.5% drop in commercial shipments, despite the consumer market growing 13.5%, its best performance in almost a decade. Detachable tablets rose 7.3%, while slate tablets fell 29.4%. Keep reading.
According to an IDC report, India’s tablet market shifted significantly in Q3 2025. Consumer category growth was 13.5% year on year, driven mostly by increased demand over the festive season and strategic moves by vendors. To boost sales, these firms used targeted sell-in strategies that included considerable discounts, bank promotions, exchange offers, and revised product ranges. In striking contrast, the commercial category saw a significant slump as it dealt with less institutional spending, resulting in ongoing poor performance.
Commercial shipments fell 53.5% year on year, owing mostly to a 61.9% drop in education deployments and a 47.9% decline in small office purchases. This reduction was ascribed to postponed education programs, cost-cutting by SMBs, and longer refresh cycles. In contrast, the e-tail channel prospered, with a 53.9% year-over-year increase in Q3 2025, illustrating the growing importance of online platforms in tablet adoption in India.
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Samsung topped the market in Q3 2025 with a 37.5% share, with 49.7% in commercial and 32.6% in consumer categories, aided by public-sector education deployments and an online inventory push. Lenovo came in second with 16.8% market share, gaining headway in the consumer category (19.3%) with Motorola-branded tablets geared at younger customers, as well as expanding its enterprise deployment footprint.
Xiaomi acquired a 15.5% market share in Q3 2025, placing third, with a consumer segment share of 21.8%, thanks to competitive pricing and value-based sales bundles. Apple ranked fourth at 9.2%, with a 10.6% share in the consumer market and 5.8% in the commercial segment, owing to consistent commercial and education demand. Acer finished fifth with a 7.9% market share, boosted by a strong commercial segment performance (26.4% share from education sales) and steady growth in enterprise deployments.
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Commenting on the outlook, Bharath Shenoy, research manager, Devices Research, IDC India & South Asia, said, “India’s tablet market continues to show resilience, with growth opportunities emerging across both consumer and commercial segments. As advanced AI capabilities become more integrated, tablets are evolving into handy productivity devices, offering personalised experiences and more efficient workflows. At the same time, rising PC prices are expected to increase further in the coming quarters. In this environment, tablets are becoming a compelling choice for first-time buyers and a cost-effective option for government-funded initiatives, effectively filling the gap left by traditional PCs.”
