New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has called on Apple to cease iPhone production in India and instead focus on manufacturing its flagship devices in the United States.
The comments, made during an event in Doha, Qatar, have raised concerns in New Delhi, though Apple has since assured Indian officials that its expansion plans in the country remain firmly in place.
Trump, speaking publicly about a recent conversation with Apple CEO Tim Cook, criticised the tech giant’s growing footprint in India.
“I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday,” he said. “I told him—Tim, you’re my friend. I treated you very well. But now I hear you’re building all over India. I don’t want you building in India if you want to take care of America.”
He went on to state that Apple would be increasing its production in the United States, although he provided no additional details.
Apple, which currently does not manufacture smartphones in the U.S., relies heavily on production in China and increasingly in India, where roughly 40 million iPhones are assembled annually—about 15 percent of its global output.
Following Trump’s remarks, senior Indian government officials reached out to Apple executives, who confirmed that the company’s investment strategy in India remains unchanged and that the country continues to be a key part of its global manufacturing plans.
Apple has been ramping up operations in India in recent years, driven by lower labour costs, favourable government policies, and a growing supplier base.
Major manufacturing partners like Foxconn and Tata Electronics are expanding their facilities in Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
India-made iPhones are not just for domestic use—they are also being exported in large numbers, especially to the United States.
According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, Apple exported 3.1 million iPhones from India to the US in March 2025 alone, accounting for 97.6 percent of its total phone exports that month.
This represented a 219 percent increase in shipments, likely an effort to preempt potential new tariffs.
Despite Trump’s comments, Indian officials remain optimistic.
They pointed out that Apple has made significant economic contributions in India, including the creation of nearly 200,000 jobs across its supply chain and vendor ecosystem.
In the fiscal year ending March 2025, iPhones worth Rs. 1.5 lakh crore were exported from India, according to Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Apple has not issued a public statement on Trump’s remarks, but CEO Tim Cook had previously stated that India would be the source of the majority of iPhones sold in the U.S. during the second quarter of 2025.
While Trump suggested Apple could continue producing in India for the Indian market, he opposed the idea of Indian-assembled iPhones being sold in the U.S., pushing instead for a return to American manufacturing.
