Apple CEO Tim Cook begins India visit – Photo: The Indian Express

Apple CEO Tim Cook starts a visit to India today, where he is expected to meet with Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modi.

Cook will attend the opening of Apple’s first Indian retail store in Mumbai today, followed by a second in Delhi on April 20. Apple’s online store have operated in India since 2020 and the company already dominates the premium smartphone market of the world’s fifth-largest economy. The country is quickly becoming Apple’s most important manufacturing base outside of China.

Until recently, all iPhones were assembled in China. However, following China’s COVID-19 policies and the resulting disruptions to supply chains, Apple started to diversify its manufacturing. Around 7% of Apple’s production already happens in India, with a future goal of 25%, according to India’s Trade Minister Piyush Goyal.

Apple’s push into India reflects a wider trend in manufacturing. Samsung, LG, Nokia and Boeing are other examples of companies that are rapidly shifting production from China to India. This trend will likely continue to accelerate as India becomes a hub for cutting-edge manufacturing. Still, China will likely remain a crucial part of global tech supply chains for the foreseeable future, especially where Chinese companies dominate, including renewables and battery technologies.