Former U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly told Apple CEO Tim Cook that Apple should not set up manufacturing facilities in India. “I don’t want Apple products made there. India can take care of itself,” Trump said.
Trump revealed this conversation during a business leaders' event in Doha, Qatar, on May 15. He emphasized that Apple must now expand its production in the United States. He also mentioned that India has offered the U.S. a zero-tariff trade deal and is willing to allow duty-free trade.
“I had a bit of a problem with Tim Cook yesterday,” Trump said. “I told him, Tim, you’re my friend, I’ve treated you well, you’re bringing $500 billion, but now I hear you’re producing everything in India. I don’t want you to do that. If you want to take care of India, you can manufacture there — India is one of the highest-tariff countries in the world.”
“Selling in India is very difficult, and they’ve now offered us a deal with zero tariffs. I told Tim, we’ve supported you for years, tolerated your China factories, but now you must manufacture in the USA. We don’t want you to manufacture in India. India can take care of itself.”
Apple CEO: 50% of iPhones Sold in the U.S. Are Made in India
In a recent interview, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that 50% of iPhones sold in the U.S. are currently made in India. He also mentioned that by the April-June quarter, India will become the country of origin for most iPhones sold in the U.S.
AirPods, Apple Watch, and other products are now primarily being manufactured in Vietnam. According to the Financial Times, Apple has been working to reduce its dependency on China by shifting its supply chain elsewhere.
India’s iPhone Manufacturing Set to Double
If Apple fully shifts its assembly to India by the end of this year, the country could produce over 60 million iPhones annually by 2026 — double its current capacity. China still dominates iPhone production, contributing 28% to Apple’s global iPhone shipments in 2024 (according to IDC).
From March 2024 to March 2025, Apple manufactured iPhones worth $22 billion (approx. ₹1.88 lakh crore) in India, marking a 60% increase from the previous year. During this period, Apple exported iPhones worth $17.4 billion (approx. ₹1.49 lakh crore) from India.
Currently, 1 out of every 5 iPhones worldwide is made in India. The manufacturing takes place in factories located in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, with Foxconn being the largest Apple manufacturing partner. Other key partners include Tata Electronics and Pegatron.