Donald Trump warns Apple about ‘Make in India’, will Tim Cook’s iPhone listen to the manufacturer?
US President Donald Trump does not want Apple to expand manufacturing in India, but would Tim-Kook have heard the tech veteran? Apple is reportedly committed to its investment strategy in India. According to government officials cited by PTI, Apple plans to establish an important manufacturing presence in the country. Following Trump’s comments about telling Apple CEO Tim Cook to reduce manufacturing works in India, government officials were engaged in discussion with representatives of the Cupertino-based technology company.According to PTI reports, during these discussions, Apple officials confirmed the Government of India officials that their investment plans remain unchanged, India remains an important manufacturing destination for its products.“Apple has stated that its investment plan in India remains intact and it proposes to continue India as a major manufacturing basis for its products,” it was quoted by the source.
What did Donald Trump say to Tim Cook about India?
Earlier in the day, Trump revealed his conversation with Cook, stating that he asked Apple to increase manufacturing in the United States and not in India.
“We have Apple, as you know, it is coming in. And I had some problems with Tim Cook yesterday. I told him, Tim, you are my friend. I have treated you very well. You are coming with $ 500 billion. But now I have heard that you are building all over India. I want to build in India.”Trump also commented on India’s high tariff structure, keeping in mind the difficulties in selling products in the Indian market.Trump said that India proposed a zero-tariff system, which is contrary to the previous high tariffs that he said that there is a hindrance in business operations. He emphasized the need for America-based production, acknowledging Apple’s previous manufacturing in China, referring to his conversation with Tim.Also read Donald Trump says that India has offered a business deal with ‘literally a tariff’
Apple’s India Plans
A few weeks ago, Tim Cook said that Apple planned to make most of India’s US-market iPhones a source during the June quarter, while Chinese features would produce equipment for other markets in view of potential tax tariffs.Official sources indicate that India contributes 15 percent to global iPhone production. Manufacturing operations include Foxconn, Tata Electronics and Petron India (majority ownership holding with Tata Electronics).Additionally, Foxconn has introduced the production of Apple AirPods in Telangana for export markets.An analysis of S&P Global suggests that the US iPhone sales reached 75.9 million units in 2024, while India’s exports stood in 3.1 million units in March, indicating the need to increase shipment through additional capacity or reality of domestic market.Also read Tata Electronics appears to double the production of one lakh to one lakh iPhones in India in India“Apple’s Indian exports were already leading to the United States, which represented 81.9 percent phones exported by the firm by February 28, 2025 in three months. It was reflected to look at 219 percent jump in exports in March 2025, probably reflected to see the firm as a high tarot.”In April, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav revealed that India’s iPhone exports were Rs 1.5 lakh crore during FY 2025.The Apple Ecosystem stands as an important employment generator in India, in which about 2 lakh people are working in various sellers across the country.
