Apple shipped a record of $2 billion worth of iPhones from India to the United States in March in an airlift operation aimed at circumventing tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, according to customs data revealed by Reuters.
According to Yahoo, the U.S. company used cargo flights to transport 600 tons of devices amid concerns that the taxes would raise prices in one of its main markets. The measure was taken in anticipation of higher import tariffs on Indian products, which were ultimately set at 26% in April. China, by comparison, faced tariffs exceeding 100%.
Of its total shipments, Foxconn exported $1.31 billion worth of iPhones in March, double its combined shipments from January and February. According to records, the models included were iPhone 13, 14, 16 and 16e, destined for cities such as Los Angeles, New York and especially Chicago.
Meanwhile, Tata Electronics, another key Apple supplier, exported $612 million that month, a 63% increase from February. Models shipped included the iPhone 15 and 16.
Data shows that all Foxconn exports were shipped by air from the cargo terminal at Chennai Airport in Tamil Nadu. To expedite the process, Apple negotiated with local authorities to reduce customs clearance time from 30 hours to just six.
“It was a way to beat tariffs,” said a source involved in the operation, which involved at least six international cargo flights.
Apple, Foxconn, and Tata did not respond to requests for comment. The figures were released exclusively by Reuters, which obtained the trade data.
Although Trump later granted certain exemptions for smartphones and electronics from China, he warned that they would be temporary. Measures against imports, part of his protectionist approach, continue to strain global supply chains.