Apple Inc.’s annual sales in India touched an all-time high of nearly $9 billion in the last fiscal year, underlining the growing appetite for its premium devices in the world’s most populous nation. The milestone comes as the US tech giant deepens its retail presence in India, a market it increasingly views as central to its long-term growth strategy.

According to The Economic Times, revenue jumped about 13percent in the 12 months through March, up from $8 billion in the previous year. Apple’s flagship iPhones contributed the lion’s share of the sales, while MacBook demand also surged. The latest sales performance marks the strongest yet for the company in India and reflects how Apple’s steady investment in local retail operations is beginning to pay off.

The scale of the increase, not publicly disclosed before, offers a timely boost for Apple. Globally, the company has been wrestling with slowing mobile device sales in mature markets such as the United States and China. India, where smartphone penetration is still climbing and a younger demographic is driving premium consumption, has emerged as a bright spot.