Samsung's Galaxy S26 flagship lineup just got a lot more expensive in India. The company announced price increases across the entire S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra range, effective from September 23rd, with hikes ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 depending on the variant. The base Galaxy S26 now starts at Rs 1,02,999, while the S26+ begins at Rs 1,34,999 and the Ultra variant kicks off at Rs 1,54,999. The most premium Galaxy S26 Ultra with 16GB RAM and 1TB storage has even crossed the Rs 2 lakh mark after eating the full Rs 25,000 increase.
This move mirrors Apple's own price correction in India just weeks earlier. Apple raised the iPhone 17's starting price from Rs 82,900 to Rs 99,900 following the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro models and the new iPhone Duo. That earlier gap where the Galaxy S26 held a slight pricing advantage has now completely vanished. Samsung's original launch price of Rs 87,999 for the base model gave it just a brief window of being cheaper than Apple's flagship, but those days are long gone. Both companies have now effectively realigned their India pricing strategies, and they're sitting almost within arm's reach of each other at the flagship level.
The timing isn't coincidental either. Samsung and Apple tend to be the last OEMs in the Indian market to push through price revisions, while Chinese manufacturers have been steadily raising prices throughout the year. This synchronized adjustment between the two biggest smartphone makers signals something bigger happening in the market, likely driven by component costs, import duties, and the overall demand dynamics in India's premium segment.
For buyers eyeing the S26 series, there's still a brief window of opportunity. Samsung's new prices weren't live on their official website at the time this decision was announced, meaning any remaining stock at the original pricing could offer meaningful savings, particularly on the Ultra variants. If you've been sitting on the fence about grabbing one of these phones, checking retail channels for existing inventory might be worth your time before the new pricing takes full effect across all channels.
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