Apple Inc will assemble its top-end iPhones such as the iPhone X family — in India at the Chennai unit of Taiwan-based Foxconn from early 2019. Currently, Wistron, another Taiwanese company, makes the lower end Apple models such as iPhone 6S and SE in Bangalore.
Foxconn, which also makes phones for Xiaomi Corp in India, will invest $356 million to expand the plant to include iPhone production, the Tamil Nadu state’s Industries Minister M. C. Sampath said.
For Apple, widening assembly beyond China is critical to mitigate the risks of the Sino-U.S. trade war. “Widening iPhone manufacturing in India through Foxconn will allow Apple to hedge the risk of any new U.S. trade policies,” said Navkendar Singh, an associate research director at International Data Corporation. Given the price sensitivity of Indian consumers, it seems plausible that a significant chunk of Foxconn’s Indian production will be available to ship to other markets – namely the United States.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
