Tech giant Apple reportedly chartered six cargo flights to transport 600 tonnes of iPhones from India to the United States at the end of March, in a strategic move to avoid steep U.S. import tariffs. According to a Reuters report citing unnamed sources, the company’s aim was to “beat” tariffs introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration.
Each cargo plane is said to have carried roughly 100 tonnes, translating to around 1.5 million iPhones. Apple also secured a fast-track ‘green corridor’ at Chennai Airport, reducing customs clearance time from 30 hours to just six— a strategy Apple routinely uses in China to speed up logistics.
The shipment underscores Apple’s growing reliance on India as a production hub, amid increasing trade tensions between the U.S. and China. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Apple plans to ramp up iPhone exports from India to the U.S., seeking to offset rising tariffs on Chinese imports. Last year alone, Apple exported over $17 billion worth of iPhones from India.
Apple’s shift comes as China and the U.S. escalate their tariff war. On April 12, China announced it would raise tariffs on U.S. imports to as much as 125%, following the Trump administration’s 145% tariff hike on Chinese goods. India, too, has faced a 26% tariff on exports to the U.S., although a 90-day pause on such reciprocal tariffs took effect this week. Currently, Indian goods entering the U.S. are subject to a 10% tariff.
Experts warn that consumers could soon feel the impact. With most of Apple’s supply chain still based in China, production costs—and ultimately prices—may rise for iPhones and other tech products such as laptops and headphones.
Shifting iPhone manufacturing entirely out of China could take years and cost billions, analysts say. “The concept of making iPhones in the U.S. is a non-starter,” said Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities. He estimated the price of an iPhone could jump from $1,000 to over $3,000 if Apple moved production stateside, a transition he believes wouldn’t be feasible until at least 2028.
Apple has yet to publicly respond to the tariff hikes or confirm the cargo shipments from India. The company may address the issue on May 1, when CEO Tim Cook is scheduled to discuss quarterly results with investors and analysts.
Apple’s stock has already felt the impact, dropping 15% since the latest tariff increase on April 2. The decline has wiped out $500 billion from the company’s market value.
Euronews has reached out to Apple for comment regarding the reported cargo flights.
