Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has recently made a big statement in an interview. He said that most of the iPhones sold in America will be ‘Made in India’ in the coming times. That is, India is now moving rapidly towards becoming a production hub for Apple, not just a market.
This statement of Tim Cook has come at a time when the construction of iPhone in India has already gained momentum. Between March 2024 and March 2025, iPhones worth about 22 billion dollars (about ₹ 1.88 lakh crore) have been made in India, which is a 60% growth compared to last year.
Why Apple’s trust in India increased?
Apple is now decreasing its dependence on China. Uncertainties like trade war, more tariffs and Kovid forced the company to turn to alternative countries. India and Vietnam got the most benefit in this strategy. Import tax is also less in India and schemes like Make in India of the government are attracting companies.
Labor costs in India are also less than China. Along with this, the infrastructure required for electronics manufacturing is being prepared rapidly with the help of the government.
Tamil Nadu and Karnataka become manufacturing centers
The iPhone assembling work in India is mainly being done in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Here companies like Foxconn, Tata Electronics and Patron are making smartphones for Apple. Foxconn is currently Apple’s largest manufacturing partner. The company has also started a new plant in Karnataka with an investment of about ₹ 23,000 crore, where thousands of people are being trained and engaged in work.
6 crore iPhone will be made every year by 2026
According to the report of the Financial Times, if the current pace continues, then from the year 2026, more than 6 crore iPhones will be made every year in India. This number will be almost double the current production capacity.
Currently, one in every five iPhone worldwide is being made in India, but it is clear from Cook’s statement that in the coming years, the iPhones made for America and other countries will also be sent from India.
India is also becoming a leader in export
In 2024, iPhone exports worth $ 17.4 billion (about ₹ 1.49 lakh crore) were exported from India. About 70% of iPhones made in India are being sold abroad. Exporting from India is cheaper than China, because taxes are less on the phone to be sent from here.
Apple’s grip will increase in India
Even though Apple’s market share in India is only around 8%, but the increasing middle class and people’s interest in premium phones in the country can take it further in the coming years. It has become clear from Tim Cook’s recent statement that Apple is now seeing India not just a customer, but as a partner. The country’s policy, cost and talent – three have made India a new center of global iPhone production.