Apple Shifts iPhone Exports to India Amid Rising U.S.-China Tariffs

Apple just made a bold move to stay ahead of potential tariff hikes. The company recently airlifted around 600 tons of iPhones, roughly 1.5 million devices, from India to the U.S., according to a Reuters report.

Why the rush? The U.S. is considering a 125% tariff on imports from China, which would significantly impact Apple’s bottom line if it continued relying so heavily on Chinese manufacturing. In contrast, India’s 26% tariff is currently on hold, making it a more cost-effective option for production and export.

To make this shift work, Apple ramped up production in India by about 20%, even asking Foxconn, one of its leading suppliers, to keep factories running through weekends. The company also worked with Indian authorities to speed up customs clearance at Chennai airport, reportedly reducing wait times to just six hours. A dedicated “green corridor” was even set up to move shipments more efficiently, similar to what Apple already has in place in China.

The results were quite noticeable. In January, Foxconn shipped $770 million worth of iPhones from India to the U.S.  Then another  $643 million worth of devices in February. That’s a dramatic jump from the typical monthly range of $110 million to $331 million, according to commercially available customs data cited in the Reuters article.

This move is part of Apple’s broader effort to diversify its supply chain and decrease its reliance on China. About 20% of iPhones shipped to the U.S. come from India, a figure that’s been steadily rising over the past few years.

Neither Apple nor India’s aviation ministry commented on the operation, which was reportedly kept under wraps until recently. But the airlift highlights just how seriously Apple is taking its manufacturing expansion in India and how global trade policies are influencing corporate strategies in real time.

You can read the full article from Reuters here:
Apple airlifts 600 tons of iPhones from India