India Surpasses China in US iPhone Shipments, Records 76% Surge in April
- India shipped 3 million iPhones to the US in April, surpassing China for the first time.
- US imposed a 30% tariff on Chinese iPhones, while Indian exports face only 10%, accelerating Apple's move.
- Most US-bound iPhones will be made in India this quarter, though full capacity may not be reached until 2026.
India has officially overtaken China as the top exporter of iPhones to the United States, marking a major shift in Apple’s global supply chain strategy. According to market research firm Omdia, iPhone shipments from India to the US jumped 76% year-on-year in April, reaching approximately 3 million units. In contrast, China’s exports plunged by the same margin to just 900,000 units.
This is the first time India has consistently outpaced China in iPhone shipments to the American market. The development reflects Apple’s intensified efforts to diversify its manufacturing operations, a strategy that gained traction during the COVID-19 pandemic and has accelerated amid rising US-China trade tensions.
A key driver behind this shift is the new 30% tariff imposed by the US on iPhones imported from China under President Donald Trump’s 'reciprocal tariff' policy, which took effect on April 2. Imports from countries like India, however, continue to face a lower 10% baseline tariff. Although a temporary tariff carve-out for consumer electronics was announced on April 11, Apple’s shift appears irreversible.
Le Xuan Chiew, Research Manager at Omdia, noted, “Apple has been preparing for this kind of trade disruption for years. The April spike likely reflects strategic stockpiling ahead of tariff hikes”.
Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed in May that a majority of iPhones sold in the US this June quarter will be made in India. However, experts caution that India’s current manufacturing capacity still trails China’s, with the US iPhone demand averaging around 20 million units per quarter a figure India may not meet until 2026.
Nevertheless, Apple’s pivot to India is already delivering benefits in tariff savings and supply chain risk reduction.
