WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — President Donald Trump said he has urged Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt the company’s manufacturing expansion in India, signaling a potential shift in the tech giant’s international supply chain strategy. Speaking during a state visit in Qatar, Trump said Apple has agreed to increase production in the United States following their private discussion.
“I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday,” Trump told reporters. “He is building all over India. I don’t want you building in India.” Trump added that Apple will be “upping their production in the United States,” while noting the company could still produce goods for the Indian market locally.
Trump’s comments come as Apple accelerates efforts to diversify its manufacturing away from China, where it currently makes the bulk of its iPhones. Bloomberg News previously reported that Apple assembled $22 billion worth of iPhones in India in the 12 months through March—an increase of nearly 60% over the prior year. The iPhones are largely assembled by Foxconn Technology Group and Tata Group at plants in southern India.
Apple has no smartphone production in the U.S. but has pledged to invest $500 billion domestically over the next four years. In response to mounting pressure from Trump and geopolitical tensions with China, the company has committed to creating more jobs in the U.S., though scaling iPhone manufacturing stateside remains a major challenge due to a lack of skilled labor and infrastructure.
Trump’s remarks threaten to disrupt Apple’s previously announced plans to source most U.S.-bound iPhones from India by the end of 2025. The move was seen as a critical part of Apple’s effort to reduce its reliance on China amid ongoing trade tensions and pandemic-related disruptions. COVID-19 lockdowns at Apple’s largest plant in China exposed vulnerabilities in its supply chain, further motivating the company to look elsewhere.
In the same remarks, Trump criticized India’s high tariffs on American products, calling the country “very hard to deal with” on trade. “India has one of the highest tariff barriers in the world,” he said. “It’s very hard to sell American products there.”
Still, he noted that India has offered to drop some import taxes as part of ongoing trade negotiations. “They want to make a deal,” Trump said.
India’s “Make in India” initiative, launched in 2014, has played a major role in attracting Apple and other multinational manufacturers to the country. The program seeks to transform India into a global manufacturing hub by offering incentives like tax breaks, streamlined approvals, and protective tariffs to boost domestic production. Sectors targeted by the program include electronics, automobiles, and renewable energy.
To encourage local assembly, India imposes import duties ranging from 10% to 20% on mobile phone parts and other electronics. These tariffs have nudged companies like Apple to shift some production to Indian soil, especially for devices sold within the country. Export-oriented manufacturing, however, can benefit from exemptions and lower duties.
Trump acknowledged that Apple could continue to produce devices for the Indian market within India, but said he wants U.S.-bound production brought back home. “India can take care of itself,” he said.
Apple has not publicly responded to Trump’s comments. However, industry experts suggest it is unlikely the company will abandon its India plans, especially with Indian iPhone production already accounting for roughly 20% of Apple’s global output, or more than 40 million units annually, according to Bloomberg.
