Apple Quietly Ships 600 Tons of iPhones from India to Dodge Trump’s Import Tariffs

Apple has reportedly taken discreet steps to circumvent steep import tariffs imposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump by ramping up iPhone shipments from India instead of China. The move is part of a broader strategy to minimize the financial burden of U.S. trade policies targeting Chinese-manufactured goods.

According to a Reuters report published Friday, April 11, 2025, Apple chartered multiple cargo flights to transport 600 tons of iPhones—equivalent to approximately 1.5 million units—from India to the United States. This shift highlights Apple’s increasing reliance on its Indian manufacturing operations to sidestep the 125% tariff that would apply if the devices were imported from China, where its largest production facilities are located.

By contrast, iPhones imported from India are subject to a significantly lower tariff of just 26%. Moreover, enforcement of this reduced tariff has been temporarily postponed for three months, giving Apple a limited window to take advantage of the cost savings.

“Apple is trying to stay ahead of the tariffs implemented by Trump,” said a source familiar with the company’s strategy.

To ensure smooth logistics, Apple has reportedly engaged with Indian airport authorities to fast-track customs clearance at Chennai International Airport in Tamil Nadu. Clearance times have been slashed from around 30 hours to just six, thanks to a newly established “green corridor” modeled after a similar system Apple uses in some Chinese airports. Chennai has emerged as a major manufacturing hub for Apple in recent years.

Since March, at least six cargo jets with a 100-ton capacity each have flown out of India, including one this week that departed shortly after the latest tariffs came into effect.

Each iPhone 14 unit, along with its charging cable, weighs roughly 350 grams. Using this estimate, the 600-ton shipment likely contained about 1.5 million iPhones destined for the U.S. market.

Apple sells over 220 million iPhones annually worldwide. Market intelligence firm Counterpoint Research estimates that approximately 20% of iPhones imported into the U.S. now originate from India, with the majority still coming from China.

This logistical pivot underscores Apple’s ongoing efforts to diversify its supply chain and reduce its dependency on China amid rising geopolitical tensions and trade restrictions.