Donald Trump warns Apple about ‘Make in India’, will Tim Cook-led iPhone maker pay attention?

Tim Cook had stated that Apple plans to supply most US-market iPhones from India through the June quarter. (AI picture)

US President Donald Trump doesn’t need Apple to develop manufacturing in India, however will the Tim-Cook led tech large pay attention? Apple reportedly stays dedicated to its funding technique in India. Apple has plans to ascertain a big manufacturing presence in the nation, in line with authorities officers quoted by PTI. Following Trump’s feedback about telling Apple CEO Tim Cook to scale back manufacturing operations in India, authorities officers engaged in discussions with representatives from the Cupertino-based know-how firm.According to the PTI report, throughout these discussions, Apple executives confirmed to Indian authorities officers that their funding plans stay unchanged, with India persevering with to be a vital manufacturing vacation spot for his or her merchandise.“Apple has said that its investment plans in India are intact and it proposes to continue to have India as a major manufacturing base for its products,” the supply was quoted as saying.

What did Donald Trump say to Tim Cook about India?

Earlier in the day, Trump revealed his dialog with Cook, stating he had requested Apple to extend manufacturing in the United States and never India.

“We have Apple, as you know, it’s coming in. And I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday. I said to him, Tim, you’re my friend. I treated you very well. You’re coming in with $500 billion. But now I hear you’re building all over India. I don’t want you building in India. You can build in India if you want to take care of India,” Trump stated.Trump additionally commented on India’s excessive tariff construction, noting the difficulties in promoting merchandise in the Indian market.Trump stated that India proposed a zero-tariff association, contrasting with earlier excessive tariffs that he stated hindered enterprise operations. He talked about his dialog with Tim, acknowledging Apple’s previous manufacturing in China while emphasising the necessity for US-based manufacturing.Also Read | Donald Trump says India has provided a commerce cope with ‘literally no tariffs’

Apple’s India Plans

A number of weeks in the past, Tim Cook had stated that Apple plans to supply most US-market iPhones from India through the June quarter, while Chinese services will produce gadgets for different markets, contemplating potential tax tariff uncertainties.Official sources point out that India contributes 15 per cent of world iPhone manufacturing. The manufacturing operations contain Foxconn, Tata Electronics and Pegatron India (with Tata Electronics holding majority possession).Additionally, Foxconn has commenced manufacturing of Apple Airpods in Telangana for export markets.S&P Global’s evaluation reveals that US iPhone gross sales reached 75.9 million models in 2024, while India’s exports stood at 3.1 million models in March, indicating a requirement to boost shipments by way of extra capability or reallocation of home market-bound deliveries.Also Read | Tata Electronics appears to be like to double Apple iPhones enclosures manufacturing in India to at least one lakh“Apple’s Indian exports already headed predominantly to the United States, which represented 81.9 per cent of phones exported by the firm in the three months to February 28, 2025. That increased to 97.6 per cent in March 2025 as a result of a 219 per cent jump in exports, likely reflecting the firm looking to preempt higher tariffs,” in line with the S&P Global Market Intelligence report.In April, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed that India’s iPhone exports amounted to Rs 1.5 lakh crore throughout fiscal 12 months 2025.The Apple ecosystem stands as a big employment generator in India, with roughly 2 lakh people working throughout numerous vendor operations all through the nation.