According to research released Tuesday, India has become Apple's fifth-largest iPhone market in the second quarter. This growth comes as the U.S. technology giant increases its distribution and marketing efforts in what CEO Tim Cook considers a critical future market. In the June quarter, India surpassed Germany and France in iPhone sales, now standing behind only the U.K., Japan, China, and the U.S. During the second quarter, India accounted for close to 4% of all iPhone sales, with a significant 50% year-on-year growth. Apple's market share in India's total smartphone market also saw growth, rising to 5.1% up to the end of June, compared to 3.4% during the same period the previous year. Apple's expansion in India includes the opening of its first physical stores in Delhi and Mumbai, along with a shift in iPhone manufacturing to the country, aiming to diversify from its current reliance on China.