Trump asks Apple CEO Tim Cook to avoid manufacturing products in India

Trump advised Cook against building factories in India unless they specifically target the Indian market.

Washington: On May 15, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking in Doha, Qatar, revealed he had discussed Apple Inc.’s manufacturing plans with CEO Tim Cook. Trump advised Cook against building factories in India unless they specifically target the Indian market.

 

“I told Tim Cook we don’t need Apple building in India—they can handle their own market,” Trump said, according to Bloomberg. Following their conversation, Trump claimed Apple would increase production in the United States. He also announced that India had proposed eliminating all tariffs on U.S. goods.

 

“India’s offered a deal where they’d charge us zero tariffs,” Trump stated at a business leaders’ event in Qatar.

 

Apple has already ramped up iPhone production in India to circumvent Trump’s tariffs, exporting 600 tons of iPhones valued at $2 billion to the U.S. in March 2025, a record for contractors Tata and Foxconn. Foxconn alone shipped smartphones worth $1.3 billion, per Reuters.
In April 2025, the U.S. imposed 26% tariffs on Indian imports, significantly lower than the over 100% tariffs on China. The U.S. has since suspended most tariffs for three months, except those on China.