Apple rushed five cargo planes loaded with iPhones and other products from India and China to the United States in the final days of March, part of a fast-paced strategy to avoid a 10% reciprocal tariff imposed by the Trump administration that took effect April 5, according to senior Indian officials and industry sources familiar with the matter.
The unusually timed shipments-completed over just three days-allowed Apple to frontload inventory into its U.S. warehouses before the new trade measures kicked in. "Factories in China, India, and other strategic locations had been shipping products to the U.S. in anticipation of the higher tariffs," a source told The Times of India.
Although March typically sees slower movement of consumer electronics, Apple accelerated its logistics pipeline to prevent a sudden price impact for American consumers. "The reserves that arrived at lower duty will temporarily insulate the company from the higher prices that it will need to pay for new shipments," the source said.
By acting swiftly, Apple aims to preserve current pricing and protect margins without transferring cost increases to consumers in the short term. While the company has no immediate plans to raise retail prices in India or elsewhere, analysts say any future hikes would likely be global rather than limited to the U.S. market.
The U.S. remains one of Apple's largest and most profitable markets. The company's decision to preemptively reroute inventory underscores both its reliance on American consumers and its sensitivity to policy risks under the evolving tariff regime. The Trump administration's broader tariff framework includes a 10% baseline rate for most countries and steeper reciprocal tariffs-26% on Indian goods and 54% on Chinese imports-set to take effect by April 9.
India is emerging as a critical node in Apple's supply chain strategy as the company ramps up production of iPhones and AirPods within the country. Given the comparatively lower tariff burden on Indian exports, the shift gives Apple a cost advantage and supply chain flexibility amid escalating U.S.-China trade tensions.
A senior Indian official confirmed that Apple's move was partly aimed at capitalizing on India's favorable tariff differential. "Apple is reconfiguring its production hubs to mitigate global tariff shocks," the official said.
