New Delhi: In a strategic maneuver to avoid tariffs, Apple airlifted nearly $2 billion worth of iPhones from India to the United States in March 2025. The one-time shipping was, however, second to the order of tariff by the then-United States President Donald Trump, which would have levied heavy-duty import on the products coming from India.
The shipment included some of the most demanded models in the form of the iPhones 13, 14, 16, and 16e, as part of a huge strategy to keep Apple's supply chain intact in case impending tariffs were implemented.
Foxconn, Apple’s primary supplier in India, came into play in a big way as it airlifted phones worth $1.31 billion. With March shipments equaling January and February shipments combined, this sets a new record for the company. Tata Electronics, another Apple supplier, exported iPhones worth $612 million, a significant increase from the prior month.
The total number of airlifted cargo came to around 600 tons of iPhones flown by six cargo jets from the Air Cargo terminal at Chennai, which serves as the main hub for these shipments. To streamline operations, Apple utilized strong ties with Indian authorities to substantially reduce customs clearance times at the airport, from 30 hours down to just six hours. The overriding intention was to prevent the imposition of tariffs which were still dwarfed in comparison with the 100% tariffs being imposed on goods from China at that time.
Trump later granted exemptions for some tariffed imports, but Apple’s quick move and logistics plan would enable the company to keep a very strong inventory in the US, one of its most important markets. This operation was invaluable in demonstrating the growing importance of supply chain agility in overcoming new and emerging political and economic landscapes.
[Source Credit: NDTV]
