NEW DELHI, April 14 -- Fewer Indians are buying smartphones. The first three months of 2026 saw about $7.8 billion worth of phones sold-$500 million less than a year earlier-marking the slowest calendar-year start in five years. In volume terms, the market shrank nearly 12% year-on-year, with about 28 million units sold in the quarter, down from 32 million a year earlier, according to a consensus of analysts Mint spoke with. The decline in value was relatively narrower at 6%, as companies partially offset losses by raising prices in February and March. India smartphone market was flat in 2025 with a 0.6% annual growth by volume totalling 152 million units. Worryingly for the industry, this is the first time in recent years that smartphones ...