While at a recent business forum in Doha, United States President Donald Trump expressed his displeasure with Apple CEO Tim Cook over the technology giant's continued expansion in India.
According to Trump, he had already personally informed Cook that he was against the development of Apple increasing its business in India, commenting, "India can take care of themselves."
The President stated that while he had been favorable to Apple, he was worried about its growing presence beyond the U.S. "I told him, my friend, I am treating you very well. You are coming up with $500 billion, but now I hear you are constructing everywhere in India. I don't want you constructing in India.". You could construct here in India, if you care about India because India is a highest tariff nation on earth so you can't even sell much, it is really difficult to sell in India," Trump spoke while at the rally.
He also asserted that India had offered to the United States a trade agreement that would in effect remove tariffs on American exports — although New Delhi has not yet announced or confirmed such an agreement. "They (India) presented us with an offer where essentially they have agreed to levy us literally zero tariffs.". I told Tim, we're treating you very well, we tolerated all the plants you constructed in China for many years. We don't want you to construct in India. India can look after themselves," Trump further added.
The comments arrive in the wake of Apple's continued transition in its worldwide manufacturing approach. Bracing for trade tensions and tariffs from Washington, Apple has been actively seeking to diversify its dependence on China by ramping up production in India — a nation considered to be a primary substitute manufacturing location.
As AFP reported previously this month, Apple CEO Tim Cook had been sounding positive about India's contribution to the company's future. He said that he anticipated "a majority of iPhones sold in the US will have India as their country of origin."
Today, Apple has three large manufacturing units in India — two in Tamil Nadu and one in Karnataka. These factories are operated by Foxconn and Tata Group, and two other factories are said to be under construction.
During the financial year ending March, Apple had manufactured iPhones worth $22 billion in India, which is a 60% increase in production over the last year — a strong indication of the company's increasing interest in the Indian market.
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