LONDON -- The latest research from Omdia reveals that India’s PC market (excluding tablets) posted its strongest quarterly performance on record, with shipments reaching 4.9 million units in Q3 2025, up 13% year on year. Notebook volumes climbed to 4.0 million units, rising 12% as vendors accelerated shipments ahead of the festive season and maintained stable fulfilment for commercial clients. Desktop shipments increased 18% to 920K units. India’s tablet market, however, contracted 19% year on year to 1.6 million units, following significant delays in government-led education deployments, despite stable consumer uptake.

Looking ahead to 2026, India’s PC market is expected to sustain steady momentum, growing at 2% as refresh cycles continue, and AI-enabled devices gain wider mainstream adoption. On the tablet front, the commercial tablet category is forecast to rebound next year as postponed education tenders move into execution.

India’s consumer PC segment recorded a 20% year-on-year increase in the third quarter, supported by early inventory build-up by vendors ahead of the festive season. The initial sell-through momentum was driven by early online sales events that generated strong traction across major e-commerce platforms. Retail demand followed shortly after, sustaining the upward trend as vendors and channel partners aligned on comparable discounts and cashback offers. This coordinated festive push lifted overall consumer demand. In addition, premium notebook shipments rose 27%, supported by wider availability of higher-specification models and compelling cashback schemes.

The commercial PC market grew 7% year on year, supported by the steady execution of enterprise refresh programs and consistent fulfilment of planned upgrades. Large organizations adhered to their planned replacement cycles, ensuring steady commercial demand. Small and medium businesses, however, remained cautious amid expectations of rising component costs, particularly for memory and displays. Overall, SMBs are expected to allocate stronger IT budgets going forward, positioning the segment for a more full-fledged refresh in the coming quarters.

India’s tablet market declined sharply, falling 19% in Q3 2025, as large-scale education deployments were deferred and spending by private educational institutions remained subdued. In contrast, the consumer tablet market grew 14%, supported by demand for affordable LTE devices and steady adoption for entertainment and learning use cases.

“Q3 2025 reflected a strong mix of consumer enthusiasm and steady commercial execution,” said Ashweej Aithal, Senior Analyst at Omdia. “Festive-led promotions and broader premium availability supported one of the strongest consumer quarters in recent cycles, while enterprises maintained their refresh plans despite pricing pressures.”

For the full year 2025, India’s PC market is forecast to grow 13%, supported by sustained festive sell-through and continued mid-range upgrades. “Component availability and pricing are expected to become more challenging in 2026, potentially pulling forward procurement cycles as buyers accelerate purchases ahead of anticipated price increases,” added Aithal.

Looking into 2026, the market is anticipated to maintain steady momentum as AI-ready devices become more accessible across wider price tiers and refresh demand continues to extend into smaller cities. AI-capable notebooks are expected to be among the fastest-growing segments in 2026, with broader portfolios, clearer on-device AI messaging, and the rollout of new silicon architectures set to accelerate adoption well beyond current levels. While the category remains relatively small today, improving software experiences will be key to driving mainstream relevance.

The tablet market is projected to remain soft through the remainder of 2025 as inactivity around education tenders continues to weigh on volumes. However, the execution of multiple pending education tenders in early 2026 is expected to revive shipments, with state-funded learning initiatives playing a central role in the recovery. “Momentum will depend on the pace at which these deployments scale and how effectively vendors expand tablets beyond secondary-use scenarios,” highlighted Aithal.