President Donald Trump has urged Apple CEO Tim Cook to boost iPhone production in the United States, as the tech giant is increasing its manufacturing in India.
In a recent chat with Cook, Trump revealed his concerns about Apple’s plan to expand iPhone production in India. Speaking while in Qatar, he stated, “I had a bit of a problem with Tim Cook yesterday. He’s building all over India. I don’t want to build it in India.”
As Apple aims to shift most of its iPhone production from China to India by the end of next year, Trump’s comments come amidst efforts to reduce risks associated with tariffs and tensions between the US and China. At present, the majority of iPhones are made in China, while there are no smartphones manufactured in the US.
Trump expressed his belief that as a result of their discussion, Apple will “increase production in the US.” Nevertheless, building iPhones domestically poses its own set of challenges. The iPhone supply chain has long been entrenched in China, although Apple has started forging local partnerships in India.
Tarun Pathak, a research director at Counterpoint, a tech analytics firm, saw Trump’s remarks as part of a familiar strategy, noting, “We want to encourage Apple to localize more and build a supply chain in the US.”
However, Trump also mentioned that Apple is developing products in India primarily for the local market, suggesting that “India can be built if necessary and can take care of India.”
Additionally, the president touched on tariff talks with India, indicating that South Asian nations have proposed lifting import taxes on US goods. Given that India imposes some of the highest tariffs globally, selling American products in the country’s vast market remains quite challenging.
Most of the iPhones produced in India are assembled at a Foxconn factory in the southern region. Another significant player is Tata Group’s Electronics Manufacturing branch, which has recently acquired a local Wistron Corp. facility and has collaborated with Pegatron Corp. in India. Both Tata and Foxconn are expanding their production capabilities in southern India.
In the year leading up to March, Apple recorded $22 billion worth of iPhones produced in India, marking a nearly 60% increase compared to the previous year.
