Bengaluru, April 10, 2025 – Apple has pulled off a logistical blitz, airlifting 1.5 million iPhones from India to the US this week to skirt President Donald Trump’s 104% tariffs on Chinese imports, effective since Wednesday. With production ramping up at Foxconn’s Sriperumbudur plant near Chennai, the tech giant’s betting big on India to keep its holiday stock flowing—rushing iPhone 16s ahead of a 90-day tariff pause Trump granted 75 nations, excluding China.
The airlift, flagged by Hindustan Times, saw cargo planes buzzing from Bengaluru and Chennai since Monday, dodging the tariff hammer that’s jacked up costs from China’s Shenzhen hubs. “India’s our lifeline now,” a supply chain source told The Economic Times. Each iPhone, assembled for Rs 50,000-60,000, faces a $200 hit if tariffed—Apple’s not risking it. Foxconn’s shipped 20% of its 2025 output—$2 billion worth—in days.
Trump’s pause, announced Wednesday night, keeps India at 10% for now, but the airlift’s a hedge—China’s 125% duties loom if talks sour (Reuters). India’s gain is real: iPhone exports hit $10 billion in 2024, up 40% (NDTV). Tamil Nadu’s humming—Foxconn’s hired 50,000 since 2023, mostly women, per The Indian Express. Posts on X cheer, “Make in India’s moment!”—though some fret over jet fuel costs spiking prices.
This isn’t just logistics—it’s strategy. Apple’s cut China reliance by 15% since 2020, with PM Modi’s incentives sealing the shift. But the clock’s ticking—can India scale fast enough if Trump flips again, or will this air dash just be a pricey Band-Aid?
