Foxconn, supplier of Apple Inc, will start manufacturing iPhones in Karnataka by April 2024, the state government said on Thursday. According to a report by Reuters, the land for the Foxconn facility would be handed over to the company by July 1, the government said, adding that the project, valued at Rs 13,000 crore ($1.59 billion), is expected to create around 50,000 jobs.
Foxconn, the world's largest contract electronics manufacturer, has set a target of manufacturing 20 million iPhones a year at the plant in Devanahalli, on the outskirts of Bengaluru.
Apple has been shifting production away from China after the country's strict Covid-related restrictions disrupted the production of new iPhones and other devices in the country. The tech giant is also looking to avoid a hit to its business due to tensions between Beijing and Washington.
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A spokesperson for Foxconn did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.
In March, the Karnataka government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Foxconn, wherein the company committed to investing Rs 8,000 crore in setting up a mobile manufacturing unit.
Meanwhile, Foxconn investing another $500 million in a facility in Telangana where the tech giant will start making only AirPods and may not manufacture iPads and Mac personal computers (PCs) in the country. There have been rumours that the tech giant is likely to begin locally producing all its major products in India.
Whereas Apple's another supplier Pegatron Corp. is looking to set up a second factory in India. The Taiwanese electronics manufacturing company already has a unit in Chennai. Reuters previously reported Pegatron plans to add a second facility just six months after opening the first one with an investment of $150 million.