Donald Trump and Apple War: When US President Donald Trump publicly told Apple not to “do your manufacturing units in India, increase production in America”, it was not just a business suggestion, but a clear message or rather a ‘warning’. This statement made global politics, technical investment, business equation and strategic knots between Indo-US-China once again. Donald Trump’s statement came when Apple is rapidly increasing investment in India by removing its manufacturing units from China.
It is worth noting that Apple officially started manufacturing in China in 2001. First the production of iPod, then IMACS and later iPhones began. Its main partner is FoxConn, which is Taiwan’s company. Apple sells about 22 million (220 million) iPhones worldwide every year. The largest part of these is still made in China, although India’s stake is increasing. About 5 lakh iPhones can be formed a day in the factory located in Zhengzhou, China. Apple’s Chinese manufacturing partners (such as FoxConn) give employment to more than 1 million (1 million) people in China. Zhengzhou’s factory alone has more than 90 assembly lines and thousands of people work there.
Apple and its suppliers in China have invested billions of dollars. The China government has also provided facilities like tax incentive, subsidy and special economic zone, which has helped Apple to invest and production, but the way India has attracted Apple in the last few years, it not only shows the success of ‘Make in India’ initiative, not only the success of ‘Make in India’.
Apple’s iPhone assembly plants are mainly in Sriperumbdur in Tamil Nadu, Bangalore in Karnataka and Noida in Uttar Pradesh. The new $ 2.6 billion Foxconn plant is being built in Bengaluru, where the iPhone 16 and 16E will be produced. The new plant of Tata Electronics turned on in Tata Electronics in Hasti. Is. Foxconn and HCL’s $ 433 million semiconductor plant will be built in Uttar Pradesh, which is to be operational by 2027. FoxConn’s Bengaluru plant has invested $ 2.6 billion (about ₹ 21,600 crore) and FoxConn-HCL semi-conductor plant $ 433 million (about ₹ 3,700 crore).
By the end of 2025, Apple has a possibility of about 6 lakh jobs from Indian operations, which will have 2 lakh direct jobs. Only 50,000 people will get employment by 2027 in the new Foxconn plant in Bangalore. In India, it can now be 20% of Apple’s total iPhone production, and it can go up to 32% by 2026-27. In 2024-25, $ 22 billion (about ₹ 1.8 lakh crore) was made in India in India. According to 2024-25 data, the number of Apple phones exported from India was more than 1.5 crore. Apple has created some variants of iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15 and recently launched iPhone 16 in India. But now this direct comment by Trump, in which he has asked Apple to manufacture in the US, raises a question mark on the strategy that Apple has been adopting worldwide for the past decade.
Why is Apple phone special
The iPhone has become a symbol of a status symbol and technical excellence, not just a smartphone. Apple’s devices are known for their tight design, best camera quality, high -level security features, and safe operating systems like iOS. Along with this, features such as Seamless Connectivity, and Privacy Policies from face ID, aircraft, IPAD, Apple Watch etc., and Privacy Policies make the Apple different from the rest of the smartphone brands.
The beginning and journey of Apple
Apple’s story was launched in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wasaniec and Ronald Wayne. Although it started with a computer, the iPhone launched in 2007 and since then it became a revolution in the world of technology. With every new model, Apple not only carried forward the technical boundaries but also created a customer class which was loyal to the brand.
Why so much demand for iPhone
There is not only technology behind the demand for iPhone, but also brand strategic marketing, customer experience and branding of premium class. Also, the smooth of iOS, low lag, and timely updates attract consumers to the iPhone repeatedly.
Why distance from China
Apple’s large manufacturing units in China were working for decades. But the Covid-19 epidemic, the US-China trade war and the unexpected lockdown policies of China forced Apple to diversify their production hub. In addition, increasing wages in China, workers strike and political uncertainty also inspired Apple to find new options.
Role of India: ‘China +1’ main pillar of strategy
India has been selected by Apple under its ‘China +1’ strategy. This means that the company no longer wants to depend on China, but also wants an alternative and reliable production center. India is low wages, the youth workforce is abundant, the government has given special incentives under the PLI (Production Linked Insentive) scheme and politically India is also a stable democracy. The Modi government created a technical environment with initiatives like ‘Make in India’ and ‘Digital India’ to attract brands like Apple. Today, the production of iPhone in India is not only fulfilling domestic demand, but is being exported worldwide. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has also described India as a big market for the future and said that “India is the next big opportunity for us.”
Trump’s statement: threats or protect American interests?
According to reports received from news agencies, the US President said, ‘We are not interested in it that you should do building work in India. India can take care of itself. Trump said that India is one of the highest tariff barriers in India and it is very difficult to sell American products in the world’s most populous country. However, he said that India has offered to reduce tariffs on American goods, as it wants an agreement on import tax. It was directly seen as a challenge for India. But the impact of America’s domestic politics and Trump’s ‘America First’ policy should also be seen behind this statement. Trump has repeatedly told US companies to increase domestic production by stopping foreign investment. They believe that this will provide employment to American people and strengthen the economy. To say that Trump threatened, perhaps there would be a unilateral analysis, but it is also true that this statement may shock India’s technical ambition, if companies like Apple start investing in America under pressure. However, Apple’s attitude has been balanced so far and the company does not want to be completely dependent on any one country.
If the plant does not set up in America, what will happen?
If Apple does not set up a large manufacturing plant in the US, it may cause loss of employment opportunities to the US economy. This is the main argument of leaders like Trump. Also, America’s indigenous dependence in the field of technology may weaken. Politically, this issue can also remain warm in the electoral fray, because the spirit of ‘America First’ is still deeply connected there.
What will India get and what is danger?
India has so far had two big benefits from Apple – foreign investment and employment. Apple and its associate companies have created thousands of jobs in India. In addition, India is becoming a hub of global technology manufacturing. If the pressure of America increases and companies start going back from India, then it can be a major setback for India’s economy. But at present, the atmosphere in India’s favor is stronger.
Global equation is shaken by Trump’s voice
Donald Trump’s statement has not come at all. It is part of America’s domestic politics, global trade war, dominance of technology and geopolitical war. Companies like Apple are now trying to balance all these powers. The speed with which India has presented itself as a manufacturing hub is commendable, but in the future you have to be ready to withstand many such trump pressure. India has now become a global player, not just a market, and for companies like Apple, it is not just a place of investment but also a strategic partner. In such a situation, Trump’s words cannot be ignored, but they cannot be allowed to decide India’s confidence. The iPhone is no longer a device to be placed in pocket, but has become a symbol of global politics, economic balance and geo-granting power and India is now an important character of this story.
Political benefits of Trump’s statement
If Apple increases production in the US, the local people will get employment, which can provide domestic support to Trump. Rolles like ‘Mack in Usa’ strengthens the image of Trump that they are working in the interest of American industry and workers. This will reduce America’s dependence on China, which is an important part of Trump’s foreign policy.
Political loss
According to experts, if the iPhone is made in the US, its price can go from $ 1,500 to $ 3,500 (₹ 1.25 lakh to ₹ 3 lakh), which will negatively impact the sale. As a large number of trained manufacturing workers like China or India, there are no difficulty in production, which can cause difficulties in production, which can cause production cheap and fast in countries like India, which can be a glimpse and fast. I get benefit in Production in the US may reduce this increase. This issue for Trump can increase popularity in domestic politics, but practically it is difficult and expensive for Apple to create a large -scale iPhone in the US. This will affect the company, consumer and global trade.
