Apple makes around 25% of the iPhones in the world in India with its production of the marquee devices increasing by around 53 percent in the last year, as per a report by Bloomberg. The increased production of iPhones in India has been linked to an effort by the Cupertino-based tech giant to avoid the China tariffs levied by the US administration.
In absolute terms, the report notes that Apple assembled around 55 million iPhones in India in 2025, up from the 36 million iPhones assembled a year earlier. The company is said to be producing around 220 to 230 million iPhones globally.
Notably, China still makes the bulk of the iPhones but the trade war between the US and China in 2025 led Apple and its suppliers to move a greater share of devices meant for the American market to alternative manufacturing hubs where India emerged as a major spot.
Apple has been increasing its production of iPhones in the last few years backed by the government’s production-linked incentives (PLI) scheme which provides subsidies to companies like Apple in order to offset some structural cost disadvantages inherent to the region.
However, the report points out that electronics assembly still costs more in India compared to manufacturing hubs like China and Vietnam. With India’s current smartphone production subsidies set to expire on March 31, companies like Apple and Samsung are reportedly in talks with the Indian government for a new round of export incentives to remain cost-competitive.
What is Apple making in India?
Apple reportedly currently assembles all versions of its latest iPhone 17 lineup in India, including the high-end iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max. The company’s local supplier network which includes Foxconn, Tata Electronics, and Pegatron also continues to build older devices like the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 for both domestic sales and global exports.
The report further notes that the tech giant’s long-term supply chain strategy is to build a second major iPhone manufacturing base to serve the global demand. Apple is also said to be deepening its local supply chain to include component manufacturing for lithium-ion cells, device enclosures, and accessories like AirPods.
India is also rapidly becoming a vital consumer market with sales going past the $9 billion mark. The company has also expanded its physical stores over the last year and is also said to be planning to launch its Apple Pay service in the country later in the year.
