Apple navigates tariffs: 1.5 million iPhones flown from India
Apple has chartered cargo flights to transport 670 tonnes of iPhones from India to the USA. This measure is a means to bypass the steep tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
What do you need to know?
- Apple has chartered cargo flights from India to the USA to transport 670 tonnes of iPhones, equivalent to approximately 1.5 million units.
- Tariffs on imports from China are as high as 125%, whereas the tariff on imports from India has been temporarily suspended for 90 days.
- The production of iPhones in India accounts for 20% of imports to the USA, with the remainder coming from China.
Why did Apple charter flights from India?
Apple decided to charter cargo flights to transport 670 tonnes of iPhones from India to the USA. This strategy is designed to sidestep the exorbitant tariffs imposed by Donald Trump's administration on imports from China. These tariffs reach up to 125%, which significantly exceed the 26% tariff on imports from India, currently suspended for 90 days.
Will iPhone prices in the USA increase?
Analysts caution that iPhone prices in the USA could rise sharply. Apple heavily depends on imports from China, where these devices are predominantly manufactured. Shifting production to the USA could raise the cost of a new iPhone to about $3,500 (€3,100), compared to the average price of $1.018 (€930) in 2024.
What are Apple's future plans?
Apple has lobbied the authorities at Chennai Airport in India to reduce customs clearance time from 30 to six hours. Since March, six transport planes carrying Apple products have departed from India, each with a capacity of 110 tonnes. The company intends to continue this procedure to mitigate the impact of tariffs on its products.
