Donald Trump warned Apple and its CEO that the company reported a report that it plans to purchase U.S.-restricted iPhones from India.

The U.S. president said he had a "small problem" with Apple's Tim Cook in reports that the company plans to transfer the assembly of mobile phones in the U.S. market from China to India.

"I had some problems with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said in a speech in Qatar on Thursday. He referred to Apple's recent commitment to spending $50 billion (£3.75 billion) in the United States, adding: "I said to him: 'Tim, you're my friend.

The complex manufacturing process behind iPhones involves over 1,000 components from around the world that are placed together primarily in China. Apple has some secrets about the details of its production process, but analysts estimate that about 90% of iPhones in the country are assembled.

However, India's production has been reportedly increased due to trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.

"I said to Tim...we treat you very well, we have endured all the plants you built in China for years, and now you have to build (for) us," Trump said. "We are not interested in building India in India, India can take care of itself...we want you to build here."

Trump later said Apple "will improve their production in the United States," although he did not provide more details to support the claim.

No iPhone is currently made in the United States, and experts warn that moving Apple’s best-selling products to its home country would be impractical and expensive. American financial company Wedbush Securities estimates that if the cost of the iPhone is to be transferred to the United States, the cost of the iPhone will be tripled.

Apple was commented.

The U.S. president said on Thursday that India proposed a trade deal that proposed "no tariffs" on U.S. goods.

New Delhi is seeking a deal with the United States amid a 90-day pause announced by Trump on April 9.

"It's hard to sell in India, and they've provided us with a deal that they're basically willing to literally charge us any tariffs," Trump said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been promoted to a smartphone manufacturing center in recent years.

In March, Apple's major Indian suppliers Foxconn and Tata provided nearly $20 billion in iPhones to the United States to bypass Trump's upcoming tariffs.

Reuters contributed to the report.