Apple’s key suppliers in India, Foxconn and Tata Electronics, exported nearly $2 billion worth of iPhones to the United States in March, marking a record monthly high as the company sought to mitigate the impact of looming U.S. tariffs.
Customs data shows Apple accelerated shipments, airlifting 600 tons of iPhones to its key market to avoid potential cost hikes stemming from President Donald Trump’s trade policies.
Foxconn, the largest iPhone assembler in India, recorded exports valued at $1.31 billion in March alone—equal to the combined shipments from January and February. The consignments, which included iPhone 13, 14, 16, and 16e models, brought Foxconn’s total shipments from India to the U.S. to $5.3 billion for the year.
Tata Electronics also ramped up its exports, shipping $612 million worth of iPhones in March—a 63% increase from the previous month. These shipments included newer iPhone 15 and 16 models.
All Foxconn shipments in March were transported by air from Chennai Air Cargo terminal and landed at various U.S. destinations including Los Angeles, New York, and primarily Chicago. The airfreight move was part of an urgent strategy to maintain supply levels ahead of the tariff hike.
In April, the U.S. imposed a 26% duty on imports from India, considerably lower than the over 100% duty applied to Chinese goods. While most duties have since been paused, those on Chinese electronics remain.
To speed up the process, Apple successfully lobbied Indian airport authorities to reduce customs clearance time at Chennai airport from 30 hours to just six. At least six cargo aircraft were deployed in the expedited shipment operation, which sources described as an effort to “beat the tariffs.”
