U.S. President Donald Trump is increasing the tariff on goods from India to 50 percent starting on August 27, but Apple's manufacturing in the country won't be affected.
Semiconductors and derivative products like iPhones are already exempt from the existing 25 percent reciprocal tariffs that are in place. According to CNBC, the executive order increasing the tariff rate doubles the 25 percent reciprocal tariff rate to 50 percent, and semiconductors will continue to be exempt.
Apple is already unaffected by the 25 percent reciprocal tariffs in India that were put in place on August 1, and it looks like that's not going to change if and when tariffs increase to the 50 percent mark later in August.
Apple has been shifting a significant portion of its manufacturing from China to India for supply chain diversification and because of U.S.-China trade tensions. Apple partners like Foxconn and Pegatron have established factories in India for assembling the iPhone, and all five iPhone 16 models are assembled in the country for Indian customers and for export to countries like the U.S.
The order that exempts Apple from paying reciprocal tariffs is temporary, and exemptions could change at Trump's whim. Trump has said that no one is "getting off the hook," and that his administration is working on specific semiconductor levies that could impact Apple devices.
Apple is working hard to convince Trump not to subject it to additional tariffs. The company promised to invest $500 billion in U.S. manufacturing earlier this year, and today, Trump is announcing another $100 billion Apple investment in the form of a new U.S.-based Apple manufacturing program. Apple CEO Tim Cook will be present for the announcement.
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