Apple's Solution For Potential Tariff On India-Made iPhone: Shipping Them To America

When Trump wielded the tariff stick and angrily admonished Apple "not to build factories in India," Cook had quietly turned India into an iPhone factory dedicated to supplying the U.S. market-with 97% of exports heading straight to America, a figure nearly double that of last year.

On June 13, according to customs data obtained by media, 97% of iPhones exported from India between March and May were destined for the U.S. market, a significant increase from the 2024 average of 50.3%. This indicates that Apple has completely realigned its export strategy in India, shifting from a previous model of distributing to multiple countries such as the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and the UK to now almost exclusively serving the U.S. market.

In just the first five months of this year, Apple exported $4.4 billion worth of iPhones from India to the U.S., surpassing the $3.7 billion for the entirety of 2024. Exports in May alone approached $1 billion, second only to the record $1.3 billion in March.

According to Prachi Singh, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, "It is estimated that in 2025, iPhones made in India will account for 25% to 30% of global iPhone shipments, up from 18% in 2024."

Trump's Pressure and Apple's Calculations

Apple's strategic shift came after Trump publicly criticized its overseas production strategy.

Trump previously posted on Truth Social, threatening that he had warned Cook that Apple must manufacture domestically or face a 25% tariff! "iPhones sold in the U.S. must be made and produced in the U.S.," not in India or elsewhere.

However, Apple clearly has its own considerations. Like most U.S. trade partners, India is subject to a 10% baseline tariff, but the country is currently attempting to negotiate an agreement to avoid the 26% "reciprocal tariff" announced-and then suspended-by Trump in April.

Apple Accelerates Production in India

To mitigate potential tariffs, Apple is taking steps to accelerate the production and shipment of iPhones made in India.

In March, Apple even chartered flights to transport iPhones worth approximately $2 billion-including models like the iPhone 13, 14, 15, and 15e-to the U.S. Meanwhile, as previously reported by Reuters, Apple has lobbied Indian airport authorities to reduce customs clearance times at Chennai Airport from 30 hours to just 6 hours.

Data from another Apple supplier in India, Tata Electronics, also reflects this trend. Between March and April, an average of 86% of the company's iPhone exports were bound for the U.S., compared to just 52% for all of 2024. Notably, Tata Electronics only began exporting iPhones in July 2024, making its pivot to the U.S. market even more striking.