New Delhi: Despite US President Donald Trump’s call for Apple to stop manufacturing iPhones in India, the tech giant has reportedly assured Indian government officials that its manufacturing and investment plans in the country remain intact.
Indian officials reached out to Apple after Trump’s remarks at a business forum in Doha, PTI reported. At the event, Trump had urged Apple CEO Tim Cook to shift production to the United States.
“I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday,” Trump said. “I said to him, Tim, you’re my friend 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 India,” he added.
Trump claimed Apple would now “up their production in the United States.” But the US President didn’t cite any specifics. He also suggested that iPhones meant for the Indian market could continue to be made in India. However, those destined for US consumers would be made in the US, Trump claimed.
Apple has not issued a public statement. But reports quoting sources said the company reaffirmed to Indian officials that India remains a key part of its global supply chain. “Apple has said that its investment plans in India are intact and it proposes to continue to have India as a major manufacturing base for its products,” one official said, as quoted by India Today.
About 15% of Apple’s global iPhone output is from India. In FY25, iPhones worth over Rs 1.5 lakh crore were exported from India. Most shipments had headed to the US.
Apple also assembled 60% more iPhones in India year-on-year. It also expanded the local production of AirPods via Foxconn in Telangana.
