Doha/New Delhi, May 15 — As India and the US edge closer to finalizing a trade agreement, US President Donald Trump has claimed that New Delhi has proposed a deal under which “they are essentially willing to impose no tariffs on us.” He also stated that he has advised Apple CEO Tim Cook “not to manufacture in India.”
Speaking in Doha, Qatar, President Trump reiterated his long-standing criticism of India’s high tariffs on American goods.
“Apple is expanding here in the US. I had a conversation with Tim Cook yesterday. I told him, my friend, we’ve treated you very well. You’re bringing in $500 billion, but now you’re setting up manufacturing across India,” Trump said.
“I told him, I don’t want you building in India. You can manufacture there if you want to support India because India is among the countries with the highest tariffs in the world. It’s extremely difficult to sell products in India,” he added.
The US President further claimed, “They’ve offered us a deal where they’re practically ready to impose zero tariffs. So, you go from one of the highest tariff countries — where we’re not even in the top 30 in terms of trade volume due to these tariffs — to a place where they’re now telling us there will be no tariffs.”
Referring again to Apple’s CEO, Trump stated, “We’ve supported you for years, putting up with your plants in China. Now you need to build here in the US. We don’t want you to build in India; India is doing well on its own. They’re planning to increase production in the US. Apple’s already committed $500 billion here.”
These remarks come as Apple has confirmed India’s growing importance in its global manufacturing strategy. Earlier this month, Tim Cook said, “For the June quarter, we expect most of the iPhones sold in the US to be made in India, while Vietnam will be the manufacturing hub for nearly all iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, and AirPods sold in the US.”
Apple has been gradually shifting production of US-bound devices from its long-established base in China to emerging hubs like India and Vietnam.
Reports indicate a significant surge in Apple’s exports from India to the US. In April 2025, Apple’s export value from India exceeded Rs 17,219 crore (approximately $2.03 billion), marking a 116% increase compared to April 2024.
Additionally, about 97.6% of iPhone exports from India in March were destined for the US market, up from 81.9% in the previous quarter, signaling India’s growing role in Apple’s supply chain.
No Comments: