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Foxconn Sends 97% of India iPhone Exports to U.S. as Apple Navigates Trump’s Tariffs

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Foxconn, Apple’s key contract manufacturer, shipped nearly all of the iPhones exported from India to the United States between March and May 2025, according to customs data reviewed by Reuters. The figure reached 97%, significantly higher than the 2024 average of about 50%, highlighting Apple’s strategic effort to bypass steep U.S. tariffs imposed on imports from China.

During this three-month period, Foxconn exported iPhones worth $3.2 billion from India, with shipments to the U.S. totaling nearly $1 billion in May alone—the second-highest monthly export value on record. Overall, Foxconn’s India-to-U.S. iPhone exports totaled $4.4 billion in the first five months of 2025, already surpassing the entire 2024 value of $3.7 billion.

Apple has been accelerating iPhone production in India as a means to reduce the impact of U.S. tariffs on Chinese-made devices, which Trump’s administration set as high as 55% on some Chinese goods. India faces a baseline 10% tariff and has been negotiating to avoid a 26% “reciprocal” tariff that the U.S. temporarily paused earlier this year.

Despite Apple CEO Tim Cook’s push for expanded production in India, former President Donald Trump criticized the move in May, insisting Apple should manufacture more phones in the U.S. rather than abroad.

Efforts to speed exports include Apple chartering cargo flights transporting billions worth of iPhone models directly to the U.S. and lobbying for faster customs clearance at Chennai airport, a critical hub for iPhone exports in southern India.

Analysts expect “Made-in-India” iPhones to represent 25-30% of global shipments in 2025, up from 18% in 2024, signaling a growing shift in Apple’s supply chain strategy.

Another supplier, Tata Electronics, part of India’s Tata Group, also exports mostly to the U.S., sending about 86% of its iPhone shipments from India there during March and April.

Despite government efforts to promote India as a smartphone manufacturing center, higher component import duties keep production costs relatively elevated compared to other countries. Apple continues to rely heavily on Chinese manufacturing, with around 80% of iPhones sold in the U.S. still produced there.

U.S. Smartphone Shipments Jump 30% in March Amid Tariff Fears, Apple Leads Surge

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Smartphone shipments to the U.S. rose 30% in March, driven by manufacturers racing to beat anticipated import tariffs, according to Counterpoint Research. The surge reflects efforts by Apple, Samsung, and Motorola to shield profits and avoid potential price hikes that could deter demand if tariffs were enacted.

Apple Leads the Charge

Apple alone airlifted $2 billion worth of iPhones from India in March, leveraging its expanding supply chain relationships with Foxconn and Tata Electronics. The move underscores Apple’s broader strategy to diversify production away from China and tap into India as a major manufacturing hub.

“The increase in shipments in March and early April will help insulate Apple from potential immediate pricing impacts in the U.S. through mid-to-late summer,” said Gerrit Schneemann, Senior Analyst at Counterpoint Research.

Why It Matters

  • The spike in shipments was a direct response to tariffs announced by President Donald Trump on April 2, which temporarily rattled electronics supply chains.

  • Though tariffs were later suspended for 90 days, companies acted quickly to move inventory ahead of any long-term impacts.

Strategic Supply Chain Shift

  • India’s role in smartphone exports to the U.S. has sharply increased, now accounting for 26% of Q1 shipments, up from 16% last year.

  • Apple has signaled that most iPhones sold in the U.S. during Q2 will be made in India.

  • Motorola, owned by Lenovo, nearly tripled its India-based exports to the U.S., further validating the region’s growing importance.

Key Shipment Stats (March 2024):

  • 📈 Apple: Sales to U.S. distributors and retailers +42%

  • 📈 Samsung: Sell-in growth +4%

  • 📈 Motorola: Exports to U.S. tripled

  • 🌍 India’s share of U.S. smartphone imports: 26% of Q1 total

Looking Ahead

Should the tariff dispute with China continue, analysts expect Apple to rely even more heavily on India for its next-generation iPhone 17 shipments bound for the U.S. market.

The March spike highlights how geopolitics, supply chain agility, and policy uncertainty continue to shape the global smartphone industry — with India and Vietnam rapidly emerging as critical production centers in the post-China era.