Apple Reaffirms Commitment to India Amid Trump’s Remarks on Manufacturing Shift

Despite recent comments from former U.S. President Donald Trump urging Apple to scale back its India operations, Apple’s investment plans in India remain unchanged, according to Indian government sources.

The Cupertino-based tech giant has reiterated its commitment to establishing India as a major manufacturing hub for its products.

Earlier in the day, Trump claimed he had spoken with Apple CEO Tim Cook, urging him to reduce manufacturing in India and instead boost production in the United States.

However, Indian officials, after engaging with Apple executives, clarified that the company has no intention of scaling back its India plans.

Apple currently operates three major manufacturing facilities in India—two located in Tamil Nadu and one in Karnataka. These are run by its partners, Foxconn and the Tata Group.

Two additional plants are reportedly in the pipeline. Foxconn has also started producing Apple AirPods in Telangana for export purposes.

Trump, during a public address, said he told Tim Cook, “I don’t want you building in India. You can build in India if you want to take care of India…

But we want you to build here [in the U.S.].” He criticized India’s historical tariff structure and suggested that while India is now offering a “zero tariff” deal, Apple should prioritize American manufacturing.

However, Apple’s strategic pivot toward India is driven by long-term goals to reduce dependency on China, especially in light of U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods.

CEO Tim Cook recently announced that the majority of iPhones sold in the U.S. will be sourced from India starting the June quarter, while China will continue to manufacture most devices for other global markets.

Currently, about 15% of Apple’s global iPhone production comes from India. Manufacturing partners such as Foxconn, Tata Electronics, and Pegatron India (majorly owned by Tata Electronics) are actively involved in this effort.

According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, Apple exported 3.1 million iPhones from India in March 2025, with over 97% bound for the U.S., marking a 219% surge in shipments—likely an effort to get ahead of rising U.S. tariffs.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed in April that India exported iPhones worth ₹1.5 lakh crore (approx. USD 18 billion) in FY 2025.

The Apple ecosystem has also become a significant employment generator, with an estimated 200,000 people employed across various vendors and facilities in the country.

While Trump’s remarks added political weight to an already sensitive issue, Apple’s trajectory in India appears steady, with expansion plans aligned with both commercial and strategic imperatives.