India Today reported that Apple's special campaign took place over just 3 days, aiming to avoid the new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
According to The Times of India, the campaign mobilizes up to five aircraft to deliver goods ahead of schedule on April 5, when the 10% counterpart tax rate (basic) officially takes effect.
The unusual move at a time when it is not the peak logistics season shows Apple's urgency. Sources from manufacturing facilities in India and China have been quickly shipped to the US in a timely manner, with the goal of reducing cost pressure immediately.
A senior Indian official confirmed the large scale of the shipment, saying Apple wants to keep current prices unchanged in the US market while still securing supply for the next few months.
Although it has no plans to increase prices in India or other major markets, Apple is said to be considering price adjustments in many regions if necessary to offset the impact of the new tax rate.
The company is also analyzing how long it can withstand rising costs without shifting the burden to consumers, especially in the US - where selling prices play a key role in purchasing decisions. Faced with the risk of increased costs in the future, Apple is reconsidering its long-term production strategy.
India could play a bigger role in restructuring this supply chain. Apple has now produced many iPhone and AirPods models in India, with export turnover increasing.
While goods from China are taxed up to 54% under the new policy, products from India are only taxed at 26%. This 28% gap makes manufacturing in India more attractive in terms of cost.
Apple is currently one of the leading smartphone exporters in India, contributing significantly to nearly 9 billion USD of the value of the country's goods exported to the US.
According to experts' analysis, the tariff gap between China and India could prompt Apple to accelerate its supply chain diversification process, reducing its dependence on China in the future.
