Trump Tries to Strong-Arm Apple Over India Manufacturing, India Says 'Sab Changa Si'

Despite recent remarks by former US President Donald Trump discouraging Apple from expanding iPhone production in India, the company has no plans to change its investment strategy in the country, government and Apple sources confirmed Thursday.

What did Trump say?

Trump, while speaking at a business forum in Qatar, reportedly told Apple CEO Tim Cook, “I don’t want you building in India,” suggesting that the company should relocate manufacturing operations to the United States. His comments, made during the final leg of his three-nation West Asia tour, were accompanied by critiques of India’s tariff structure and implied that Apple would be shifting production to the US — a claim the company has not corroborated.

Indian government is not worried

Indian government sources played down the statement, stressing that India’s growing manufacturing ecosystem provides a strategic advantage to global tech companies. “India has become a significant player in the smartphone production space,” officials said, adding that Apple and others will continue to see the value in producing domestically.

“India offers competitiveness that global companies can’t ignore. Our ecosystem supports efficiency, scalability, and a favourable policy environment under the ‘Make in India’ initiative,” a senior official told reporters.

From Apple’s side, executives reiterated their commitment to India, stating that plans to set up a major manufacturing facility remain unchanged. Apple recently announced that a majority of iPhones sold in the United States from the June 2025 quarter onwards will be manufactured in India — a significant shift in global sourcing strategy. The company currently produces an estimated 15 per cent of its global iPhone output in India, along with popular accessories like AirPods, which are being assembled in Telangana.

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India’s Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had earlier confirmed that iPhone exports from India touched ₹1.5 lakh crore in FY25 — a strong signal of Apple’s growing reliance on Indian production.

Analysts believe Trump’s statements are driven more by political rhetoric than economic feasibility. Recreating Apple's vast supply chain in the US — capable of producing over 75 million iPhones sold there in 2024 — would be a massive logistical and financial challenge. Estimates suggest such a move would cost tens of billions of dollars and take several years.

Trump’s comment also comes amidst ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions. Apple’s current strategy involves splitting its production — iPhones sold in the US to be manufactured in India, while Chinese plants cater to other global markets. This shift helps Apple sidestep tariffs placed on China-origin goods entering the US.

Although there was a temporary reprieve this week with both the US and China agreeing to cut duties to 10 and 30 percent respectively for 90 days, uncertainty still looms over long-term trade relations.

With Apple steadily increasing its investment in India and leveraging the local ecosystem for exports and domestic sales, industry experts believe the company’s manufacturing pivot is unlikely to be derailed by political statements, especially those not backed by policy changes.

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