New plants in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka aim to reduce reliance on China, with Tata already assembling older models and Foxconn set to begin iPhone 16 production soon.
Apple is rapidly expanding iPhone manufacturing in India, with a newly operational Tata Electronics plant in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, now producing older iPhone models, while Foxconn’s $2.6 billion facility in Bengaluru prepares to start trial runs within days, according to sources.
The move comes as Apple seeks to diversify production beyond China, which currently accounts for over 75% of global iPhone output, compared to India’s 18% (Counterpoint data). With potential U.S. tariffs looming on Chinese electronics, the tech giant is fast-tracking plans to shift a significant portion of its U.S.-bound iPhone production to India by 2026.
Scaling Up Capacity
- Tata’s Hosur plant, active since late April, runs one assembly line for legacy iPhone models.
- Foxconn’s Bengaluru facility will initially operate one line, producing up to 500 iPhone 16 and 16e units per hour. At full capacity (expected by late 2027), it will employ 50,000 workers.
- Together, Tata and Foxconn will soon operate five iPhone factories across India, cementing the country’s role in Apple’s supply chain.