Speaking at a business summit in Doha, US President Donald Trump revealed that he has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to stop manufacturing in India and focus instead on increasing production within the United States. This request comes amid Apple’s ongoing strategy to diversify its supply chain, which has seen a growing portion of iPhone production move to India in recent years.
“I said to him, ‘Tim, you’re my friend, I’ve treated you very good… but now I hear you are building all over India. I don’t want you building in India,’” Trump said. He added that while supporting India might have its place, the US should remain a priority, especially given the former’s high tariffs.
Apple recently began importing iPhones from India to meet domestic demand in the U.S., with Bloomberg reporting that about 20% of iPhones are already manufactured there. That figure is expected to increase to 25% over the next few years, as the company seeks to lessen its dependence on China. Meanwhile, the Financial Times previously reported that Apple’s goal is to source all iPhones sold in the US from India by 2026.
Apple itself has yet to comment on shifting more production back to the US. Currently, the company only manufactures the Mac Pro domestically, while most other hardware is produced across a number of countries, including China, Vietnam, India, and even Malaysia.
Earlier this week, Apple is reportedly considering raising prices for its upcoming iPhone 17 lineup. However, it is said that the company will attribute the increase to new features and design changes, rather than link it to ongoing US-China trade tensions.
(Source: NDTV, via TechCrunch)
