Apple's supply chain in India expands again as Tata and Foxconn's new factories commence production
Apple's supply chain expansion in India continues to advance, with Tata Electronics and Foxconn's new factories starting production one after another. The Tata factory located in Tamil Nadu has begun producing older models of the iPhone, while Foxconn's factory in Karnataka is expected to start trial production in a few days, with plans to produce the iPhone 16 and 16e models in the future. Apple plans to move all iPhone assembly operations for the U.S. market to India by 2026, although it still relies on production in China for now
According to informed sources, a new factory in India has begun producing Apple iPhones, while another factory is set to start shipments in May. This development comes as Apple (AAPL.US) strengthens its manufacturing presence in India amid the ongoing tariff dispute between China and the United States.
The Tata Electronics factory in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, has recently commenced operations, with one assembly line starting to produce older iPhone models.
Additionally, sources (including a government official) revealed that the factory built by Foxconn Technology in Bangalore, Karnataka, with an investment of $2.6 billion, will also begin trial production on its first assembly line in a few days. This factory is expected to produce 300 to 500 units of the iPhone 16 and 16e models per hour, and is projected to create 50,000 jobs once fully operational by December 2027.
Earlier reports from the financial news app indicated that Foxconn (officially known as Hon Hai Precision) plans to produce approximately 25 to 30 million iPhones at its Indian factories this year, doubling last year's output.
At the beginning of this month, there were also reports that Apple plans to move all iPhone assembly operations destined for the U.S. to India as early as 2026.
Although the Trump administration currently exempts smartphone tariffs, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo stated that this is only a temporary measure.
While Apple is currently collaborating with its contract manufacturers Tata Electronics and Foxconn to assemble phones, the American company still heavily relies on China for iPhone production.
In March of this year, Apple exported approximately 600 tons of iPhones worth $2 billion to the United States, setting a monthly shipping record for Tata and Foxconn, with Foxconn contributing $1.3 billion in smartphones
