Apple is stepping up its manufacturing push in India, with all models of the upcoming iPhone 17 series — including the high-end Pro models — to be assembled domestically from the start. This is the first time that the technology giant will produce all variants of the new iPhone series in India.
The move underscores Apple’s efforts to diversify its supply chain away from China amid rising geopolitical tensions and US government tariff risks. It also signals the growing importance of India in Apple’s global manufacturing and export strategy.
According to sources, Apple has spread the production of the iPhone 17 across five local factories, two of which have just started operating. Though all the models will be locally assembled, sources confirmed the number of Pro units to be made in India will be comparatively less.
Central to this expansion are two major facilities: Tata Group’s new plant in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, and Foxconn’s massive new USD 2.8 billion centre near the Bengaluru airport. Tata, which has rapidly emerged as one of Apple’s key partners, is expected to handle about 50 per cent of India’s total iPhone production within the next two years.
Foxconn has started rolling out iPhone 17 units at its new USD 2.8 billion facility in Devanahalli near Bengaluru. The plant, which is Foxconn’s second-largest iPhone factory outside China, is now operating alongside its Chennai unit. After an early setback this year with the departure of many Chinese engineers, the company called in replacement engineers from Taiwan and other countries to keep production on track.
Apple’s bet on India is now paying off. Between April and July this year, iPhones worth USD 7.5 billion were exported from India, compared to USD 17 billion in the entire previous fiscal year.
Apple assembled about USD 22 billion worth of iPhones in India in the fiscal year that ended in March — a 60 per cent increase over the previous year.
The tech giant is expected to ramp up production to 60 million iPhones this year, while it was around 35-40 million in 2024-25.
Apple CEO Tim Cook recently highlighted India’s growing role in the company’s supply chain, revealing during a July earnings call that most of the iPhones sold in the US by June 2025 would be made in India.
Analysts say Apple’s shift has boosted India’s status as a global manufacturing hub. With S&P Global estimating US iPhone sales at nearly 76 million units in 2024, Apple will need to double its shipments from India or reallocate devices from other markets to meet American demand.
Apple’s presence in India’s own smartphone market is also growing steadily. Shipments rose 21.5 per cent in the first half of 2025 to 5.9 million units, with the iPhone 16 emerging as the most shipped model.
In the June quarter, Apple’s shipments in India rose nearly 20 per cent year-on-year, giving it a 7.5 per cent share of the market.
Industry experts view the Bengaluru factory’s launch and the broader manufacturing shift as a major milestone in Apple’s diversification strategy.
With the inputs of IANS
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