Apple is rapidly increasing its iPhone manufacturing in India as the trade conflict between the US and China escalates. The firms producing iPhones for the Cupertino giant are said to be planning to establish two new assembly facilities — one by Tata Electronics and the other by Foxconn. The swift growth appears to be an element of Apple’s larger plan to diversify its supply chain and lessen reliance on China. At present, there are three iPhone manufacturing facilities in India — two located in Tamil Nadu and one in Karnataka.
As reported by Reuters, Tata Electronics has begun operations at a new facility located in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. The facility has begun manufacturing on one assembly line, concentrating on putting together older-generation iPhone models. At the same time, Foxconn, Apple’s biggest contract manufacturer, is also completing another significant facility in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
The report indicates that the Foxconn manufacturing plant will be constructed for $2.6 billion and is anticipated to start preliminary operations in just days. In the meantime, the facility in Bengaluru is said to be responsible for manufacturing the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16e models. When operating at full capacity, the factory is expected to produce between 300 and 500 iPhones every hour. Reuters mentions that the site is projected to create jobs for around 50,000 individuals once construction is entirely finished in December 2027.
As US President Donald Trump continues to implement his tariffs on China, Apple and other tech firms have rushed to modify their supply chain. When the tariffs were declared, Apple — in a near panic — airlifted planes full of iPhones to the US from India. Apple analyst Mark Gurman has indicated that Apple aims to establish a system in which all iPhones sold in the US will be assembled in India, as this would lead to reduced tariffs and duties.
Gurman also indicates that the strategy has encountered problems regarding the upcoming iPhones. In 2026, Apple could encounter difficulties in producing the iPhone 18 and the supposed foldable iPhone due to the intricacies introduced by their innovative designs. Gurman points out that although it's feasible for Apple to produce older iPhones such as the iPhone 16 in India, the company has yet to create an entirely new design outside of China during its initial production run.