New Delhi: Government sources said iPhone maker Apple’s investment plan in India is intact, and the company recommends having a major product base in the country.
Indian officials spoke with Cupertino executives shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a statement saying he had asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to cut Indian manufacturing.
Apple executives assured Indian government officials that the company’s investment plans are intact and that the country will be Apple’s main manufacturing base.
“Apple said its investment plans in India are intact and it recommends continuing to use India as its main manufacturing base for its products,” the source said.
Email inquiries sent to Apple in this regard were not immediately responded.
Earlier in the day, Trump said he talked to Cook and told him that he did not want Apple to make products in India, but to increase production in the United States.
“As you know, we have Apple. Yesterday I had a small problem with Tim Cook. I said to him, Tim, you are my friend. I treat you very well. Your treatment is $500 billion. But now I hear that you have built the entire India all over India.
He said that India is one of the highest tariff countries in the world and it is difficult to sell it to India.
“They (India) have given us a deal, and basically they are willing to literally not impose tariffs. So we stand out from the highest tariffs. You can’t do business in India… but I said to Tim… We’re really good. We’re really good. All the plants we build in China for years, we’ve been reluctant to build our interests in India. We’ve built our own work here. They’re able to build their own work in their own work. Apple said, “Trump said.
Cook announced that Apple will sell most iPhones from India in the June quarter, while China will provide the vast majority of devices to other markets amid uncertainty over tax tariffs.
According to government sources, 15% of iPhone global production comes from India. Foxconn, Tata Electronics and Indian Pegatron (owned primarily by Tata Electronics) are engaged in making iPhones.
Foxconn also began manufacturing Apple Airpods in Telangana for export.
According to an analysis by S&P Global, US iPhone sales were 75.9 million units in 2024 and 3.1 million units exported from India in March, indicating the need for double transport through new capacity or redirected goods to the domestic market.
“Apple’s Indian exports already headed predominantly to the United States, which represented 81.9 per cent of phones exported by the firm in the three months to February 28, 2025. That increased to 97.6 per cent in March 2025 as a result of a 219 per cent jump in exports, likely reflecting the firm looking to preempt higher tariffs,” S&P Global Market Intelligence report said.
Trade Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced in April that the 1.5 lakh iPhone was exported from India in the fiscal year 2025.
India’s Apple ecosystem is one of the country’s largest job creators. It is estimated that about 2 million people are employed in various suppliers in the country.
