Donald Trump, the former President of the United States, has expressed his disapproval of Apple’s strategy to relocate iPhone production from China to India. In a statement directed at Apple CEO Tim Cook, he remarked, “India can take care of itself,” and emphasized his preference for not expanding production in India.
Apple’s decision to transfer its iPhone assembly processes intended for the US market to India by the end of 2026 serves as a reaction to the 145 percent tariffs that were enforced on Chinese imports during Trump’s tenure. These tariffs have recently been put on hold for 90 days.
At a business forum in Doha, Trump recounted his conversation with Cook: “I told him, Tim, I’m being very nice to you, you come in with $500 billion and now I hear you’re building all over India, I don’t want you building in India.” Trump also mentioned that investing in Indian production for their own market is acceptable due to the country’s high tariffs. Following their discussion, Trump claimed that Apple has committed to boosting its manufacturing efforts within the US.
Apple began its iPhone production in India back in 2017, initially focusing on lower-priced models. By 2023, the assembly of flagship devices had commenced. In the fiscal year 2024, iPhone production in India soared by 60 percent, reaching $22 billion. The majority of this production is carried out at Foxconn’s facilities, with Pegatron and Tata Electronics also playing significant roles.
Trump’s vision for companies like Apple to entirely relocate their manufacturing to the US is an ambitious yet challenging goal. Presently, 80 percent of iPhones sold in the US are manufactured in China. An iPhone’s assembly involves over 2,700 components sourced from 187 suppliers, with only 30 of these suppliers located outside of China. Shifting the entire production to the US is both complex and costly.
Apple seeks to lessen its reliance on China while striving to maintain a harmonious relationship with the US government. This balancing act is crucial for the company’s strategic interests.
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