WATCH: Donald Trump tells Apple CEO Tim Cook to stay out of India

U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly urged Apple CEO Tim Cook to refrain from expanding manufacturing operations in India, despite New Delhi offering the United States a “no-tariff deal” to attract investment.

“I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday,” Trump said, referring to a recent discussion with the Apple chief during his official visit to Qatar.

“He is building all over India. I don’t want you building in India. India can take care of itself,” the former president remarked while speaking during his Middle East tour.

Trump’s comments have raised questions about the future of Apple’s global supply chain strategy and the U.S. stance on foreign manufacturing investments.

Donald Trump is cooking modi with each passing day

Today he has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to not make Apple products in India.

What a fall for Modi.pic.twitter.com/Jt4SvAOjfo

— Dr Nimo Yadav 2.0 (@DrNimoYadav) May 15, 2025

Apple has been ramping up production in India with the aim of making around 25% of global iPhones in the country in the next few years, as it looks to reduce reliance on China, where around 90% of its flagship smartphone is currently assembled.

Apple’s main assembly partner in India, Foxconn, received approval from the Indian government on Monday to build a semiconductor plant in the country in a joint venture with HCL Group.

Apple has spent decades building up its supply chain in China, but has looked to other countries like Vietnam and India to expand its production capacity.

But experts generally agree that moving production of the iPhone to the U.S. would be highly unlikely because of the final price of the end product.

Varying estimates put the cost of an iPhone between $1,500 to $3,500, if it were made in the U.S.