Apple’s Tariff Strategy: 1.5 Million iPhones Shipped from India to the U.S. Amid Trade War
10 Apr, 2025 18:14 IST|Sakshi Post
In a bid to beat U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs, tech giant Apple transported 600 tonnes of iPhones, roughly 1.5 million units, to the United States from India, according to a Reuters report.
In anticipation of the sweeping tariffs, Apple ramped up production at its plants in India.
It is worth noting that the tech giant has been heavily reliant on China for the manufacture of iPhone parts. As the trade war between the two major economies escalated, Trump imposed a 125% tariff on goods from Beijing.
At the initial tariff of 54% on China, the cost of the iPhone 16 Pro Max would have surged to $2,300 from $1,599.
Against this backdrop, Apple has decided to focus on India, where it already has three manufacturing units, with two more being built.
India has been imposed with a 27% tariff, much lower than China's 125%.
The 90-day pause on tariffs, announced by Trump for most countries but not China, has provided some relief to the company.
Quoting a government official, Reuters reported that Apple, along with Indian aviation authorities, facilitated the transportation of six cargo jets, each with a 100-tonne capacity, since March. The last cargo flight departed this week just as the new tariffs kicked in.
The company reportedly lobbied Indian airport officials to reduce the customs clearance time from 30 hours to six hours at the Chennai airport in Tamil Nadu.
According to reports, Apple sells more than 220 million iPhones globally each year, with one-fifth of those sales coming from India and the rest from China.
