Trump halts iPhone production shift to India

On May 15, 2025, former US President Donald Trump said that he has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook not to move iPhone production to India. Trump wants Apple to make more iPhones in the United States instead.

According to a report by Bloomberg, Trump had a talk with Tim Cook during his recent visit to Qatar. “He wanted to build a major project in India, but I don’t want him to set up any plants there,” Trump said. He claimed that as a result, Apple will now expand its production in the US.

Trump also called India the most protectionist country in the world. He said it’s hard to sell American products there due to high tariffs. But he added that India might reduce some tariffs because it wants a trade deal with the US.

Apple has been planning to move a big part of its iPhone production to India by the end of 2024. The goal is to rely less on China, avoid tariffs, and lower risks due to global tensions.

Right now, most iPhones are made in China, not the US. But recent issues like COVID-19 lockdowns and growing tension between the US and China pushed Apple to find new manufacturing locations.

In India, Foxconn is the biggest iPhone maker. It has a large factory in southern India. Tata Group is also becoming a key supplier. After taking over Wistron and Pegatron’s local operations, Tata is now building more factories to increase output.

Trump’s comments may slow down Apple’s India plans. It could also affect Apple’s long-term strategy to spread production across different countries.