Apple to make all iPhone 17 models in India as it diversifies beyond China: Report

This will be the first time all new iPhone variants are manufactured in India from the outset.

The shift is part of Apple’s strategy to reduce reliance on China for U.S.-bound shipments and shield itself from tariff risks.

The company has already moved a significant share of production for the American market from China to India.

Two newly operational sites are at the core of this expansion: Tata Group’s facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, and Foxconn’s large plant near Bengaluru airport.

Tata, described by insiders as Apple’s fastest-rising partner, is expected to account for nearly half of India’s iPhone output within two years.

The pivot has already boosted India’s exports. Between April and July this year, iPhones worth $7.5 billion were shipped from India, compared with $17 billion during the whole of the previous fiscal year.

Apple’s strategy also reflects U.S. trade uncertainty. President Donald Trump has pushed steep tariffs on Chinese goods, repeatedly criticising American companies for relying on Chinese production.

In one of his recent comments, Trump said, “If Apple wants to make iPhones for Americans, they should be making them in America, not in China, not in India.”

Despite the political rhetoric, Apple has forecast a $1.1 billion tariff-related hit in the current period—highlighting the urgency of moving capacity out of China.

The U.S. has become Apple’s largest export destination for iPhones made in India. According to Canalys, the U.S. accounted for 78% of shipments by June 2025, up from 53% in the first half of 2024.