Islamabad, 15 May, 2025: Apple’s Tim Cook has found himself at the centre of a growing debate, as former US President Donald Trump criticised the tech giant’s increasing shift of iPhone production from China to India.
The remarks surfaced amid reports that Apple plans to manufacture more of its US-bound devices in India, prompting Trump to voice concerns over the strategic relocation.
Apple’s Tim Cook Caught in Political Spotlight
In a recent address delivered during his visit to Qatar, Trump said he had raised concerns with Apple’s Tim Cook over the company’s growing presence in India.
According to the former president, he reminded Cook of Apple’s previous pledge to invest $500 billion in the United States and questioned the logic behind expanding production elsewhere.
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Trump was quoted as saying he told Cook, “You’re my friend… but I don’t want you building in India.” He emphasised that after years of allowing Apple’s Chinese operations, it was now time for the firm to establish key facilities in the United States.
Rising Output in India Fuels US Concerns
Apple’s decision to expand Indian production has reportedly been influenced by trade tensions between Washington and Beijing. Currently, an estimated 90% of iPhones are assembled in China, though increasing volumes are now being shipped from India.
In March alone, Apple’s suppliers Foxconn and Tata reportedly exported nearly $2 billion worth of iPhones from India to the US, marking a record high.
Despite Trump’s claims that Apple might scale up operations in the US, analysts remain sceptical. Experts note that moving iPhone assembly stateside would be both logistically complex and financially burdensome. Wedbush Securities has warned that production in the US could triple the cost of an iPhone.
Trade Talks and Tariff Tensions
In his remarks, Trump also revealed that India had proposed a trade deal with zero tariffs on American products, describing it as a surprising but favourable shift.
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The statement followed a temporary suspension of tariff hikes by the US, announced earlier in April.
Apple’s Tim Cook and his company have yet to issue an official response to Trump’s comments. However, the situation underlines how global tech supply chains continue to be drawn into geopolitical dynamics, particularly between the US, China, and emerging players like India.
