Apple has reportedly airlifted over 600 tonnes of iPhones from India to the United States. The move is aimed at avoiding steep tariffs that would apply to devices shipped directly from China, as tensions between Washington and Beijing continue to influence supply chain decisions of major tech companies.
This large-scale airfreight operation, which took place over multiple cargo flights, highlights India’s growing importance in Apple’s global production ecosystem. It also signals the company’s intensified push to diversify its manufacturing base away from China, amid geopolitical uncertainties, regulatory hurdles, and trade conflicts that have rocked international commerce in recent years.
Why the Airlift?
The primary motivation behind the airlift was financial. The U.S. had imposed tariffs of up to 25% on several categories of goods imported from China, including electronics like smartphones. Shipping iPhones from India, where Apple has been steadily ramping up its production through contract manufacturers like Foxconn and Pegatron, allows the company to bypass these tariffs and maintain competitive pricing in the crucial American market.
While air transport is significantly costlier than sea freight, Apple’s decision to move the devices by air points to the urgency and importance of maintaining supply chain continuity and meeting high consumer demand without passing extra costs onto buyers.
This isn’t the first time Apple has relied on air cargo to meet tight deadlines or respond to trade complications, but the scale of the current operation—600 tonnes—is unprecedented and speaks volumes about the company’s strategic pivot.
India: Apple’s Rising Production Hub
Apple’s India journey began modestly a few years ago, but it has since gained impressive momentum. The government’s Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for electronics manufacturing has been instrumental in drawing Apple’s suppliers into the country. Foxconn, Wistron, and Pegatron have all established assembly lines in India, where they now manufacture several models, including the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 series.
In FY2023-24 alone, Apple exported over $10 billion worth of iPhones from India, with a significant portion destined for Europe and North America. The recent airlift adds to this milestone and underlines the company’s confidence in India as a reliable alternative to China.
Moreover, the expansion aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” vision, which seeks to turn India into a global manufacturing powerhouse.
Trade Winds and Strategy
The ongoing U.S.-China trade war has had a profound impact on how multinational corporations structure their supply chains. With tariffs, sanctions, and export controls becoming tools of geopolitical strategy, tech giants like Apple have been forced to think beyond traditional manufacturing hubs.
India, with its large labor force, improving infrastructure, and favorable policy environment, has emerged as a natural alternative. Additionally, India shares stronger diplomatic ties with the U.S., offering companies like Apple more predictability in the long term.
By airlifting finished products directly from India to the U.S., Apple not only avoids Chinese tariffs but also showcases the logistical and manufacturing maturity that Indian operations have achieved.
Logistical Feat
Moving 600 tonnes of high-value electronics is no small task. The operation likely required dozens of dedicated cargo flights, each carrying tonnes of tightly packed devices in climate-controlled containers. The coordination involved—from factory floor to airstrip, customs clearance to final delivery—demonstrates Apple’s operational prowess and its partners’ capabilities.
Such a massive and high-speed operation also reflects the pressures of market demand. With product cycles getting shorter and consumer expectations higher than ever, Apple can ill afford stock shortages, especially in its biggest market.
Looking Ahead
Apple’s strategic shift toward India is more than a response to trade tariffs—it’s a long-term bet on a rapidly growing consumer base and an increasingly competent manufacturing sector. As more iPhones, iPads, and possibly other Apple products start rolling off Indian assembly lines, logistics operations like the recent airlift may become more routine.
For now, though, Apple’s 600-tonne flight plan serves as a powerful symbol of how global trade is changing—and how companies must literally and figuratively rise above borders to stay ahead.