If things go according to plan, Foxconn’s India facility could be one of Apple’s largest manufacturing facilities outside of China, second only to the massive iPhone facility in Zhengzhou that employs nearly 200,000 people. This is the same facility that was closed for extended periods during the massive wave of COVID-19 infections that swept through China in 2022.
While details remain sketchy, initial reports indicate that Foxconn could use the Bangalore facility to also make Apple’s mixed reality headsets that are currently in development.
Foxconn’s seriousness about India can be gauged by the fact that the company’s chairman, Young Liu, took a whirlwind trip to India and met key lawmakers, including the country’s prime minister, Narendra Modi. In a tweet confirming its plans for India, Foxconn revealed its intentions to “build an ecosystem in India that allows all of our stakeholders to share, collaborate and thrive.”
President Young Liu is visiting India. Today we had a warm meeting with the Honorable Prime Minister @Narendra Modi and updated him on our good progress in the country. Foxconn will continue to build an ecosystem in India that allows all of our stakeholders to share, collaborate and thrive. pic.twitter.com/We86Gd9iXI
— Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) (@HonHai_Foxconn) February 28, 2023
In addition to the iPhone factory, Foxconn also intends to invest in the semiconductor space, another key area where India is making massive investments.
If Foxconn’s plans for the iPhone facility in India go according to plan, Apple’s goal of moving 25% of its iPhone production to India by 2025 could become a reality. Apart from India, Apple has also been considering Vietnam as an alternative to China. While no iPhones are currently made in Vietnam, the location has quickly become an ideal place to make products like Apple AirPods and other accessories.
