Foxconn ships 97% of India-made Apple iPhones to US amid tariff woes – report

About 97% of iPhones exported by Foxconn Technology (OTCPK:FXCOF) from India went to the U.S. between March and May, Reuters reported citing customs data.

The numbers are far above the 2024 average of 50% and an indication of Apple’s efforts to bypass high U.S. tariffs imposed on China. The numbers also indicated that Apple has realigned its India exports to almost exclusively serve the U.S. market, when previously the phones were widely distributed to countries including The Netherlands, the Czech Republic and the U.K., the report added.

Apple and Foxconn did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Seeking Alpha.

During March-May, Foxconn exported iPhones worth $3.2B from India, with an average of about 97% shipped to the U.S., compared to a 2024 average of 50.3%, the report added.

India iPhone shipments by Foxconn to the U.S. in May were worth about $1B, the second-highest ever after the record $1.3B worth of phones shipped in March, according to the report.

Apple’s CEO Tim Cook had said during the company’s second quarter earnings call that the majority of iPhones sold in the U.S. during June quarter will be made at factories in India.

While Apple continues its efforts to grow manufacturing beyond China, it has faced backlash at home. Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump said the tech giant would have to pay 25% tariffs on iPhones not made in the U.S. Trump had previously urged Cook to stop building facilities in India.

Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision (OTCPK:HNHAF) (OTCPK:HNHPF), assembles a large portion of iPhones made in India. The Tata Group has also come up as a vital supplier and already assembles iPhones for domestic and foreign markets at three facilities in South India. Earlier this month, it was reported that Apple brought in Tata to handle repairs for iPhones and MacBook devices in India.

Trump said on Wednesday that China will face 55% tariffs after the two countries agreed on a plan, subject to approval of both leaders, to ease duties that had reached triple digits.

India is subject to a baseline 10% tariff and is trying to negotiate a deal to avoid a 26% new tariff that Trump announced and then paused in April.

In the first five months of 2025, Foxconn has already sent iPhones worth around $4.4B to the U.S. from India, compared to $3.7B in the whole of 2024, the report noted.

Apple has also urged Indian airport authorities to reduce the time needed to clear customs to six hours from 30 hours at the Chennai airport in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Tata Electronics, part of the Tata Group, on average shipped about 86% of its iPhone production to the U.S. during March and April, customs data showed, the report noted. May data was not available.

Tata Electronics began exporting iPhones only in July 2024, and about 52% of its shipments went to U.S. during 2024, the report added.

Tata did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Seeking Alpha.

Historically, Apple has sold over 60M iPhones in the U.S. every year, with about 80% of them being made in China, the report noted.