Apple is increasingly focusing on manufacturing in India, where it now assembles a significant portion of its devices and operates two flagship stores. The company’s annual sales in India reached a record nearly $8 billion, demonstrating the success of its “make-in-India” initiative.
In the past year, Apple’s revenue in India surged by 33%, growing from $6 billion to over $8 billion, with iPhones contributing to more than half of this figure. This growth highlights the effectiveness of Apple’s strategy to expand its presence in the Indian market.
Recent developments include plans for Foxconn, a major Taiwanese contract manufacturer, to begin assembling iPads in India. Foxconn is considering setting up this production at its facility in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. This marks a notable shift, as previously, Foxconn and other global contract manufacturers based in India have only assembled Apple’s smartphones.
Additionally, Apple is exploring the possibility of producing its Pro and Pro Max iPhone models in India later this year, potentially including the upcoming iPhone 16 range. Currently, 99% of mobile phones sold in India are locally manufactured, with high-end models like the iPhone Pro being imported.
Corning, a key supplier of Apple’s Gorilla Glass, plans to start production in Tamil Nadu by the second half of 2025. Corning supplies glass for several brands, including Apple, OnePlus, Google Pixel, Sony, Samsung, and Huawei.
Foxlink, another supplier to Apple, is establishing a new plant in Oragadam, near Chennai, following a fire at its previous facility in Tirupati. Foxlink, a Foxconn affiliate, produces iPhone charging cables.
Apple is also working to establish a local supply chain for camera modules in India, having discussed potential partnerships with companies like Murugappa Group and Titan Company. Experts anticipate that Apple will begin assembling these modules domestically.
The company is aiming to move at least half of its supply chain to India and increase local value addition by about 50% over the next three years. This expansion could create approximately 500,000 jobs in India within the same period.
Rayprus Technologies, another Apple supplier, is considering setting up a manufacturing facility in Bengaluru, within the new Foxconn campus. Tata Electronics, Apple’s sole Indian vendor, plans to enhance its Hosur facility and has also acquired the Wistron facility in Karnataka to boost production capacity.
Apple’s shift towards India is part of a broader strategy to diversify its manufacturing and revenue sources away from China, due to trade tensions. Supported by the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, Apple is rapidly expanding its Indian operations. Despite this growth, India still represents only about 2% of Apple’s total sales, which amounted to $383 billion in the latest fiscal year.
Furthermore, Apple has shifted some of its iPad development to Vietnam, where it has invested approximately $15.84 billion and created around 200,000 jobs. In Vietnam, Apple manufactures iPads, AirPods, and Apple Watches, working with 25 suppliers including Foxconn, GoerTek, Luxshare, Intel, Samsung Electronics, and Compal.
