In a surprising statement during a business event in Doha, Qatar, US President Donald Trump revealed he has urged Apple CEO Tim Cook to refrain from expanding manufacturing operations in India, dealing a potential setback to India’s ambitions as a global manufacturing hub. “I told Tim Cook, ‘We’re not interested in you building in India. They can take care of themselves,’” Trump said.
Trump’s comments, made during his Middle East tour, come at a critical time for India, which has emerged as a key manufacturing base for Apple, producing smartphones worth $22 billion in the last fiscal year—a 60% increase from the previous year.
The US president cited India’s high tariff barriers as a reason for his stance, claiming it is “very hard to sell American products” in the world’s most populous nation.
Apple’s plans to source the majority of US-bound iPhones from India by late 2026 now face uncertainty.
