In A Big Move, Apple May Start iPad Production In Tamil Nadu With Foxconn

Foxconn, the Taiwanese electronics manufacturing giant and Apple's biggest contract manufacturer, is exploring the possibility of producing Apple's iPad tablets at its plant in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.

Apple is mulling to expand its manufacturing presence in India by assembling its iPads in the country, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Economic Times (ET). This move would represent a notable broadening of Apple's existing Indian operations, which have thus far concentrated on iPhone production only.

Foxconn May Produce iPads In Tamil Nadu

Foxconn, the Taiwanese electronics manufacturing giant and Apple's biggest contract manufacturer, is exploring the possibility of producing Apple's iPad tablets at its manufacturing plant in Sriperumbudur, in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This move signals growing confidence in India's evolving capabilities to support Apple's supply chain for its renowned products.

Up to this point, Foxconn and other global contract manufacturers operating in India have focused solely on assembling Apple's iPhones models locally. An insider with knowledge of the situation revealed that Foxconn is giving serious consideration to initiating iPad assembly at its Tamil Nadu facility, marking a significant expansion of its current operations in the country, the ET report noted.

Apple's strategy to broaden its manufacturing base in India aligns with its broader goal of reducing dependence on China. This diversification effort has been ongoing, with Apple having already shifted some iPad product development to Vietnam in the previous year. The potential expansion of product assembly in India represents another step in Apple's efforts to create a more geographically diverse supply chain and production network.

This comes at a time when Apple is now setting its sights on the personal computer  (PC) market in India. A recent report quoted industry analysts as saying that Apple's revenue from its Mac line of computers could see a substantial increase, potentially touching double its current figures this year.

Market analysts have predicted a substantial boost in Apple's Mac revenue for India in the current calendar year. As per their projections, the tech giant could see earnings from Mac computers in the Indian market reach between $1.1 billion and $1.2 billion. This represents a significant jump from the previous year's estimated revenue, which ranged from $600 million to $700 million.