US Former President Donald Trump has condemned Apple’s expanding manufacturing presence in India. Trump revealed in a state visit to Qatar that he met with Apple CEO Tim Cook to critique the company’s expansion in India, particularly against the backdrop of its increasing decoupling from China.
“I had a small issue with Tim Cook yesterday,” Trump is said to have said, according to Bloomberg. “He’s building everywhere in India. I don’t want you building in India.” Trump alleged that Apple committed to increasing its manufacturing capacity within the United States after their chat.
Apple’s Move Away from China
Apple has been gradually diversifying away from China, especially since the supply chain disruptions due to COVID-19 hit its key production hubs. Trump-era tensions and wider US-China diplomatic frictions have also contributed to this strategic shift.
Production in India has been accelerating, with iPhone production hitting a record $22 billion during the fiscal quarter that ended in March, a rise of almost 60% year-over-year.
Indian Manufacturing Gains Momentum
Most iPhones manufactured in India are manufactured by Foxconn Technology Group at its southern India plant. Tata Group’s electronics unit also has an important role to play—having acquired Wistron Corp.’s Indian operations and operating Pegatron Corp.’s manufacturing. Foxconn and Tata both have expansion plans for their capacities through new plants in southern India.
Apple had been planning to source most of the US-bound iPhones from India by late 2024. Trump’s protests, though, could make those plans difficult.
Trump also attacked India’s trade practices, calling them restrictive. He pointed to how hard it was for American businesses to sell their products in India, the world’s largest populated nation. But he did credit that “India has proposed cutting tariffs on US goods” as part of negotiations over import taxes.
