Apple is accelerating its iPhone manufacturing in India, with plans to utilize five production facilities as part of a strategy to decrease dependence on Chinese manufacturing for the U.S. market. The company intends to produce all four iPhone 17 models in India, in anticipation of the product launch next month.
This expansion includes recently opened plants from the Tata Group in Tamil Nadu, along with Foxconn facilities situated near the Bangalore airport. According to projections, the Tata-controlled factories are set to manage up to half of India’s iPhone production output over the forthcoming two years.
During the period from April to July, India exported $7.5 billion worth of iPhones. This represents a considerable increase compared to the $17 billion worth of shipments recorded throughout the preceding fiscal year. A recent analysis suggests India has overtaken China in smartphone production destined for the United States.
The change in production is occurring as Apple adjusts to trade policies. Tim Cook, the CEO, had previously announced $600 billion in U.S. investments, partly to preserve exemptions for iPhones made in India. Although tariffs have been established by the U.S., electronics have not been affected. In the meantime, reports indicate that China has been curtailing technology exchanges with India. Additionally, Foxconn has withdrawn Chinese engineers from its Indian sites. The expansion into India’s manufacturing facilities emerged as a response to U.S. tariffs on China, although the recent additional levies pose challenges for India. Apple’s growth is occurring during tariff adjustments that could have discouraged other companies.