Foxconn Ships 97% Of iPhones From India To US: Report

Electronics manufacturer Foxconn has reportedly exported most of the iPhones manufactured in India to the United States, between March and May this year. 

Citing customs data, a Reuters report said that during the specified period, Foxconn exported iPhones worth $3.2 Bn from India, with an average of 97% gadgets shipped to the US, compared to a 2024 average of 50.3%.

Further, Foxconn’s iPhone shipments from India to the US in May alone were worth almost $1 Bn, the second-highest ever after the record $1.3 Bn worth of devices shipped in March, as per the data.

Inc42 has reached out to Foxconn for comments on the development. The story will be updated based on the response.

Meanwhile, Apple has declined to comment on it. 

The agency highlighted that the export numbers reflect that shipments from India are wired to meet the demands of the US, while previously, Foxconn exported the gadgets to countries such as Britain, Netherlands and the Czech Republic.

Foxconn’s Production Units In India

In the same light, nearly three months ago, reports surfaced that Apple’s contract manufacturer is eyeing to double iPhone production to 25-30 Mn units at its India facilities in the ongoing calendar year.

Foxconn acquired a 300-acre plot near Bengaluru airport in 2023, with an allocation of INR 25,000 Cr towards the establishment of the project, which will have a capacity to assemble 20 Mn smartphones annually, becoming Foxconn’s largest unit in India.

On the other hand, the Taiwanese electronics maker has been in talks with the Tamil Nadu government to set up a 200 acres manufacturing unit, in November last year, with plans to expand its battery manufacturing business in India.

Following which, Foxconn also is working on its plans to build a new facility in Uttar Pradesh’s Greater Noida, based on reports from April this year.

Apple’s India Manufacturing Push

Notably, Apple surpassed INR 1 lakh Cr mark in iPhone exports from India in 2024, with total shipments reaching a record $12.8 Bn (around INR 1.08 Lakh Cr), representing a 42% increase from 2023.

The tech giant’s success is part of a larger trend where electronics exports from India have surged, with iPhones playing a pivotal role in this growth.

Domestic production has also seen a dramatic increase, rising nearly 46% year-on-year to reach $17.5 Bn (INR 1.48 Lakh Cr).

Despite US President Donald Trump’s apathy on Apple’s growing dependence on India for production, CEO Tim Cook reassured that the country would continue to remain its manufacturing hub.

In its post-earnings call in May, Cook also said that the company plans to shift its assembly units for iPhone sold in the US to India from China to India due to the trade war between Washington and Beijing. Additionally, he revealed that Vietnam would produce iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and AirPods for the company.