Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced that Apple intends to manufacture all of its iPhones in India in the coming years. Highlighting Apple’s strategy to shift sourcing and production of most iPhones sold in the United States to India, Scindia stated that choosing to invest in India now goes beyond goodwill—it represents a strategically sound move for all original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
“Apple has decided to source and produce all its mobile phones in India in the years to come,” news agency PTI quoted Scindia as saying. “When you invest in India, you are choosing affordability, reliability and originality,” he added.
Speaking at the Bharat Telecom event on Tuesday, Scindia pointed to India’s favorable policy landscape and rapidly growing manufacturing infrastructure as key factors making the country an appealing hub for global technology companies.
During Apple’s recent earnings call, CEO Tim Cook confirmed this shift, noting that the bulk of iPhones sold in the U.S. in the upcoming June quarter would originate from India. However, he added that China will still handle production for many other international markets, particularly as trade uncertainties such as tariffs remain in flux.
Scindia said the telecom equipment market aided by the government’s production-linked incentive scheme has witnessed multifold growth.
“Investment of Rs 4,000 crore, half a billion dollars alone, has resulted in sales of Rs 80,000 crore, Rs 16,000 crore in exports, (and) 25,000 jobs being created. Therefore, the telecom equipment market has also grown manifold in India,” Scindia said.
Minister of State for Telecommunications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said India from being a large importer of mobile phones, around 2014, India has now become a large producer and exporter of mobile phones.
He said India’s mobile phone industry has transformed from making 60 lakh units and importing 21 crore mobile phones in 2014 to a total production of 33 crore mobile phones in 2024 and 5 crore units of exports.
“Further, if you look around the global iPhone output, 15 per cent of that iPhone output today comes from India,” Pemmasani said.
According to market research firm IDC, Apple supplied 23.21 crore iPhones across the globe.
Pemmasani said the semiconductor mission is transforming India into a global hub for electronics, system design and manufacturing.
“The establishment of semiconductor fabrication facilities on Indian soil marks a watershed moment in our technological sovereignty,” Pemmasani said.
With inputs from PTI.