India to make 25% of all iPhones by 2028
NEW DELHI: Apple aims to broaden its production base in India, and targets to make a quarter of all its iPhones in the country over the next 3–4 years as it builds a network of local vendors instead of sourcing inputs from Chinese suppliers.
People aware of the company’s plans told Mint that the Cupertino-headquartered tech giant has already begun work on building the supply chains even as the majority of its production will be undertaken by Foxconn Technology Group and Tata Electronics, which will scale up their manufacturing capacities as well.
“India is an important market for them. Till December 2023, they are already doing 14% of their total iPhone production from India that is being supplied locally and for exports. They’re now planning to raise the levels to 24–25% by the end of 2027 or 2028,” one of the people said, asking not to be named as the discussions were private.
JP Morgan analysts had estimated in 2022 that a quarter of all Apple products would be made outside China by 2025, from 5% then. As of FY24-end, about $14 billion worth of iPhones were made in India, making up 14% of the global total. India produces iPhone models 12, 13, 14, and 15.
Taiwan’s Foxconn Technology Group, the world’s largest contract manufacturer and the largest one for Apple, accounts for the lion’s share of iPhones made in India. Last year in October, Tata Electronics acquired Taiwanese iPhone maker Wistron’s manufacturing unit in India, Wistron InfoComm Manufacturing (India) Pvt. Ltd, for $125 million. Tata Electronics currently makes a far smaller number of iPhones, but intends to scale its manufacturing capacities.