U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced concern over Apple’s increasing focus on India for manufacturing iPhones. He revealed that he asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt plans to expand production in India. The conversation took place during Trump’s recent visit to Qatar.
Trump expressed dissatisfaction with Apple building “all over India.” He urged the tech giant to reconsider its strategy. According to Trump, Apple agreed to increase its manufacturing efforts in the United States following their discussion.
Apple production in India has been growing rapidly. The company now relies on the country for a large portion of its iPhone assembly. Apple has shifted more production to India in recent years to reduce its dependence on China. This move came after supply chain disruptions during China’s strict COVID-19 lockdowns.
Tensions between the U.S. and China have further pushed Apple to diversify its manufacturing footprint. Apple’s suppliers have responded by building new facilities in southern India. Major partners include Foxconn and Tata Group’s electronics arm. Tata acquired Wistron’s local operations and now runs Pegatron’s India operations.
Foxconn and Tata continue to add capacity and invest in new production lines. Bloomberg previously reported significant plant expansions in key Indian states. Apple assembled iPhones worth $22 billion in India during the past 12 months. This marked a 60% rise from the previous year.
Despite the growth, Trump criticized India’s trade policies. He pointed to India’s high tariffs on American products. According to him, selling U.S. goods in India remains difficult. However, India has reportedly offered to reduce some of these tariffs. This gesture appears aimed at easing trade talks with Washington.
Apple production in India may now face obstacles if the U.S. government pressures the company. Trump’s remarks could signal a shift in how tech firms are expected to operate globally. For now, Apple must weigh the political risks of moving production abroad against supply chain resilience.
As the company considers its next steps, it remains to be seen how much manufacturing will return to U.S. soil.
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