Apple has airlifted 1.5 million iPhones from India to the U.S. to avoid Trump’s steep China tariffs, using chartered flights and fast-tracked customs clearance in Chennai as it boosts Indian production and shifts its global supply chain.

Apple has reportedly airlifted around 600 tonnes of iPhones, roughly 1.5 million devices from India to the United States in a strategic move to bypass mounting tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

According to sources, the tech giant chartered six cargo flights from Chennai, India, after scaling up production at its Foxconn facility. The operation was designed to beat the 125% tariff on Chinese imports, which threatens to significantly inflate the cost of iPhones in the U.S. The same device imported from India is currently subject to a 26% tariff, substantially lower and now temporarily paused.

To facilitate the urgent shipments, Apple lobbied Indian authorities to streamline customs clearance in Chennai, reducing processing time from 30 to just 6 hours via a specially created “green corridor.” The company also ramped up production by extending plant operations to Sundays.

India now accounts for around 20% of Apple’s U.S. bound iPhone exports, signalling a shift in its supply chain diversification away from China. With Foxconn and Tata expanding production capabilities in India, Apple’s long-term strategy to counter tariff pressures while maintaining competitive pricing is taking shape. Apple and Indian officials have not yet commented on the reports.

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