ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES – Apple Inc assembled USD22 billion worth of iPhones in India in the 12 months ended March, increasing production by nearly 60 per cent over the previous year in a sign of continued diversification away from China.
The Cupertino, California-headquartered company now makes 20 per cent, or one in five, of its prized iPhones in the South Asian country, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified as the information is not public. The dollar figure represents the devices’ estimated factory-gate value, rather than the marked-up retail price.
The ramp-up suggests the iPhone-maker and its suppliers are accelerating a pivot to India from China – a process it began when harsh COVID-19 lockdowns hurt production at Apple’s largest plant. The bulk of India-made iPhones are assembled at Foxconn Technology Group’s factory in southern India. Tata Group’s electronics manufacturing arm, which bought Wistron Corp and controls Pegatron Corp’s operations, is also a key supplier.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment outside of regular business hours.
Of the total India production, Apple exported INR1.5 trillion worth of iPhones from the region in the fiscal year through March 2025, the nation’s technology minister said on April 8.
Shipments of iPhones from India to the United States (US) accelerated after President Donald Trump announced his plans for so-called “reciprocal” tariffs in February, the sources said. Apple’s average India production and exports surged all through the fiscal year to March.
Apple will increasingly prioritise iPhones from the India supply chain for its US customers, Bloomberg reported previously.
The Trump administration on April 11 exempted electronic goods, including smartphones and computers, from its reciprocal tariffs. That is good news for companies such as Apple and Nvidia Corp, though the reprieve does not appear to extend to Trump’s separate 20 per cent duty on China, applied to pressure Beijing to crack down on fentanyl.
This means iPhones made in India will not attract any duties as of now. Barring the exceptions made, Trump’s cumulative levies on China remain at 145 per cent, and will likely force companies such as Apple to intensify their supply chain shift.
But with nearly 200 suppliers and an overwhelming reliance on China, moves to other countries could take years to play out. Despite Trump’s ambition to have iPhones made in the US, Apple is unlikely to move production there any time soon due to factors including a shortage of facilities and labour needed to produce the devices.
Apple’s chief executive Tim Cook has often praised China’s high level of skill in making its marquee devices. In 2022, Bloomberg Intelligence estimated it would take eight years to move just 10 per cent of Apple’s production capacity out of China.
Apple now assembles its entire iPhone range in India, including the more expensive titanium Pro models. Its manufacturing success in the world’s most populous nation is also helped by state subsidies tied to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambition to turn the country into a manufacturing hub. Modi is also seeking to widen electronics component manufacturing with USD2.7 billion in new financial incentives, and is focused on advancing its semiconductor ambitions.
Apple has a nearly eight per cent market share in India’s smartphone market, where its sales – a bulk of those from iPhones – reached almost USD8 billion in fiscal year 2024.
