Doha: In a recent press conference held in Doha, U.S. President Donald Trump revealed that he had a direct conversation with Apple CEO Tim Cook, urging him to cease the company’s iPhone manufacturing operations in India. President Trump emphasized his desire for Apple to relocate its production back to the United States.
“I spoke with Tim Cook yesterday,” President Trump stated. “I told him, ‘Tim, we want to maintain a good relationship with you. You are building a $500 billion company, but I have heard that you are setting up factories in India. I do not want you to make iPhones in India.’”
The U.S. President further criticized the company’s previous reliance on Chinese manufacturing, stating, “We have tolerated your factories in China for years. Now, we do not want you to set up your factories in India. India can take care of itself, and they are doing it very well. We want you to come back to the United States and establish your factories here.”
President Trump’s comments come at a time when trade negotiations between the United States and India are ongoing, with tariffs being a major topic of discussion. Reports had previously indicated that Apple was considering expanding its manufacturing capacity in India.
In May this year, Apple had announced that a significant portion of the iPhones and other devices sold in the United States would be manufactured in India instead of China. CEO Tim Cook confirmed that in the coming months, most iPhones for the U.S. market would be produced in India, while Vietnam would become a major hub for iPad and Apple Watch production.
The shift was initially driven by Apple’s assessment that the new U.S. import tariffs could increase its costs by around $900 million in the current quarter. Although President Trump has exempted critical electronics from the new duties, his administration has consistently emphasized that Apple should shift its manufacturing base back to the United States.
