Apple on Track to Double Exports From India by March 2023

Apple is currently on track to double iPhone exports from India by March 2023. This pace was first kickstarted in April and is continuing as India proves to be a major asset in Apple’s diversification of its supply chain.

In the five-month span since April, Apple has gone on to cross the $1 billion mark thanks to its India exports. According to Bloomberg, sources have claimed that Apple is currently on track to reach and possibly exceed $2.5 billion in 12 months, concluding in March 2023. Therefore, Apple is expected to see nearly double the $1.3 billion worth of iPhones exported from India in the year concluding in March 2022.

Apple has been hoping to diversify its exports and supply chain for quite some time. India is proving itself to be a sustainable alternative to Apple’s dependence on factories within China. However, as it currently stands, India makes up for only a small portion of Apple’s total output. That said, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is determined to help flesh out this partnership in the future.

Apple has historically used China as its production bed for the iPhone and many of its devices. However, under Xi Jinping’s administration, Apple’s frustrations and concerns have risen. Over time, the company has seen hurdles between China and the U.S. government. This has impacted business through lockdowns, exports, etc.

Even though Apple is leaning on India more and more, its dependency is still dynamically tied to China. Earlier, it was reported that it would take Apple eight years to move even 10 percent of its production capacity out of China.

Production of the iPhone 14 is already underway in India. By 2025, Apple expects to see 25 percent of its overall iPhone production take place in the country. That figure would be a reduction from the current estimation of 98 percent production in China. Last year, roughly 3 million iPhones were made in India. By comparison, 230 million were manufactured in China. These numbers are staggering when placed against each other and paint a picture of how much dependency Apple still has on its Chinese supply chain.