New Delhi [India], July 11 : The recall of Chinese employees from the Foxconn India factory, which manufactures Apple iPhones, won't impact mobile production in India, said a senior government official. The official added that it is, in fact, an opportunity for India.
"I would look at it more as an opportunity. If the workers want to go back, it's between the company and the workers. They will have to make arrangements to ensure the work continues -- production won't be impacted. We facilitated their visas," said the senior official from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity).
"As far as Apple is concerned, they have alternatives. The primary responsibility lies with Apple to ensure that the manufacturer doesn't impact production," the official added.
According to reports last week, more than 300 Chinese workers have departed from Foxconn's southern India plants.
Although the exact reasons behind the recall were unclear, it appears it was linked to Beijing's broader strategy to limit technology transfers and equipment exports to India and Southeast Asia.
Foxconn operates facilities in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Telangana.
In the recently concluded financial year 2024-25, Apple assembled iPhones worth USD 14 billion in India -- roughly one out of every seven iPhones produced globally through facilities operated by Foxconn, Pegatron, and India's Tata Group.
In 2017, Apple began manufacturing iPhones in India. The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, introduced by the Central government, is also likely to have attracted several gadget makers, including Apple, to establish a presence in the country.
iPhone manufacturing in India was practically negligible about a decade ago. Apple is now manufacturing its latest iPhone versions in India. The iPhone maker is expanding its presence in India, a key market with a large population and the fastest-growing economy among major economies.
The iPhone maker has two flagship stores in India--one in Delhi and one in Mumbai--launched in 2023. Apple plans to open four more retail stores in India - each in Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai, it had indicated in October 2024.