US-based Apple to open new retail stores in India later this year, CEO Tim Cook confirms

US-based Apple is preparing to open more retail stores in India later this year, CEO Tim Cook confirmed during the company's latest earnings call. 

The move marks the second phase of Apple's retail rollout in the country and comes amid growing reliance on India not only as a consumer market but also as a manufacturing hub for the company's global supply chain.

“In retail, in addition to the two stores we opened during the quarter, we’re also looking forward to a new retail store in the UAE, the arrival of the online store in Saudi Arabia, and new retail stores in India starting later this year,” Cook said.

Although Cook didn’t reveal the exact number or locations of the upcoming retail stores, Apple is expected to open four new outlets in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune and Noida.

This expansion builds on Apple's first wave of physical retail stores in India, which began in April 2023 with stores in Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex and Delhi's Saket. Those openings drew massive crowds and fanfare, underscoring the demand for a full-fledged Apple retail experience in the country. Until then, Apple had relied primarily on online sales and third-party resellers.

The new upcoming stores are expected to not only serve as points of sale but also deepen customer engagement with Apple's ecosystem, which includes iPhones, MacBooks, iPads, and the Apple Watch. The company had also launched the Apple Store app in India in January 2025.

Diversifying away from China

The expansion comes at a time when Apple is accelerating efforts to diversify its manufacturing operations away from China. Amid an escalating tariff war between the U.S. and China—now featuring import duties as high as 145% on Chinese goods—India has emerged as a strategic alternative for Apple's production network.

Interestingly, Cook also confirmed that the majority of iPhones sold in the United States during the June quarter will be manufactured in India.

“For the June quarter, we do expect the majority of iPhones sold in the U.S. will have India as their country of origin...I would not want to predict the mix of production in the future, but I wanted to give you clarity for the June quarter,” he said.

Apple began manufacturing in India in 2017, but the shift has gathered pace in recent years. As of 2025, the entire iPhone 16 lineup—from the entry-level iPhone 16e to the flagship iPhone 16 Pro Max—is being assembled in India. It is expected that the upcoming iPhone 17 series will also be assembled locally.

To offset rising trade tensions and avoid dramatic price hikes, Apple is also shifting the production of iPads, Macs, and AirPods for the U.S. market to Vietnam. While China remains the primary source for Apple products sold globally, the company is clearly hedging its bets by strengthening supply chains elsewhere.

"For the June quarter,....Vietnam will be the country of origin for almost all iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and AirPods products sold in the U.S. China would continue to be the country of origin for the vast majority of total product sales outside the U.S.," Cook said.

According to JPMorgan estimates cited in an India Dispatch report, assembling iPhones in India leads to only a marginal 2% increase in retail prices compared to China, which is significantly lower than the 30% hike the company would face if it relocates production to the U.S.