In a bold statement during a business event in Doha, US President Donald Trump urged Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt the company’s ongoing expansion in India. Trump’s comments come as Apple increasingly shifts its manufacturing operations from China to India, with plans to make India a major global production hub for iPhones.
President Trump, known for his vocal stance on domestic job creation and trade protectionism, expressed his dissatisfaction directly to Cook. “I said to him, my friend, I am treating you very good. You are coming up with $500 billion, but now I hear you are building all over India. I don’t want you building in India,” Trump stated at the forum.
The former president emphasized that India imposes some of the highest tariffs in the world, making it difficult for American companies to sell products there. “You can build in India if you want to take care of India because India is one of the highest tariff nations in the world,” he added, implying that Apple should focus on American expansion and economic interests rather than boosting production overseas.
Trump further claimed that India has offered a zero-tariff deal to the United States. However, no official confirmation or announcement has been made by New Delhi regarding such an agreement. “They offered us a deal where basically they have agreed to charge us literally no tariffs,” Trump said. “I said Tim, we are treating you really good. We put up with all the plants you built in China for years. We are not interested in you building in India. India can take care of themselves.”
This statement arrives at a pivotal moment for Apple, as it strengthens its presence in India to diversify away from China. Earlier this month, Apple CEO Tim Cook had said he expected a majority of iPhones sold in the US would soon originate from India. The tech giant currently operates three manufacturing plants in India—two in Tamil Nadu and one in Karnataka—through partners like Foxconn and the Tata Group. Two more facilities are reportedly in development.
Apple’s production push in India has already seen significant results. In the last fiscal year ending March 2025, Apple assembled iPhones worth $22 billion in India—a 60% increase over the previous financial year. The company’s aggressive India expansion is seen as a strategic move to mitigate risks from US-China trade tensions and to benefit from India’s growing tech manufacturing ecosystem.
While Trump’s remarks may reflect broader concerns over outsourcing and trade imbalances, industry analysts note that Apple’s India focus is unlikely to waver given its long-term strategic goals.
As geopolitical pressures mount and the global supply chain continues to evolve, Apple may find itself navigating not only market demands but also political expectations—on both sides of the globe.
