In a striking statement made during his Middle East tour in Qatar, U.S. President Donald Trump revealed that he urged Apple CEO Tim Cook not to manufacture in India, despite India allegedly offering the U.S. a “no-tariff deal.”
“I told Tim, we’re not interested in you building in India. India can take care of itself,” Trump said, while speaking about his recent interactions with global business leaders and foreign governments.
Trump’s comments came shortly after he claimed that India proposed a zero-tariff trade agreement with the United States. This declaration, if substantiated, would mark a major shift in India-U.S. trade dynamics.
Earlier: Trump spoke to Cook after China truce
Trump also referred to a prior discussion with Cook following the US-China tariff suspension agreement in Geneva. At the time, he praised Apple’s decision to expand manufacturing within the United States.
“I spoke to Tim Cook this morning, and he’s going to even up his numbers… $500 billion. He’s building a lot of plants in the United States,” Trump said from the Oval Office.
Cook had previously persuaded the Trump administration to exempt certain Apple products from tariffs during Trump’s first term, leveraging Apple’s contribution to U.S. jobs and innovation.
India, Apple, and shifting supply chains
Trump’s stance could complicate India’s growing aspirations to become a global tech manufacturing hub. Apple has steadily increased its India presence, assembling iPhones and exploring deeper supply chain integration.
But with Trump positioning against U.S. firms expanding into India, the long-term impact on bilateral trade and tech diplomacy remains to be seen.
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