To Reduce Reliance on Chinese Supply Chain
Foxconn, Apple’s largest supplier, plans to expand its plant in Chennai, India. As iPhone production in China has been halted due to a recent lockdown of Shenzhen, it is aiming to ramp up production in India.
Apple and Foxconn recently received permission from the Tamil Nadu state government for the development of a site for a Foxconn plant near Chennai, the Economic Times of India reported on April 19 (local time). The size of the plant site exceeds 40 acres, or about 160,000 square meters.
Ninety-five percent of Apple’s iPhones are made in China. Since 2021, Apple has been increasing the share of production in India to reduce its dependence on China’s supply chain. According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, India’s share of Apple’s global production grew from 1.3 percent in 2020 to 3.1 percent in 2021.
Apple is expected to focus on scaling up iPhone production in India in 2022, too. Apple recently started production of the iPhone 13 at its Foxconn plant in Sriperumbudur, India.