In a significant development, India’s largest conglomerate, Tata Group, has entered into a partnership with Apple to manufacture iPhones within the country, catering to both the domestic and international markets. This monumental step marks Tata Group as the pioneer in India’s iPhone production landscape.
Revolutionizing Indian Smartphone Manufacturing
This momentous collaboration comes as a result of the Indian government’s visionary Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This scheme has already propelled India into the global spotlight as a trusted and major hub for smartphone manufacturing and exports. Within just two and a half years of the PLI scheme’s launch, Tata Group’s subsidiary, Tata Companies, will commence the production of iPhones on Indian soil. This remarkable achievement contributes to India’s growing reputation as a key player in the smartphone manufacturing arena.
Congratulations to Tata Group and Wistron
Minister of State (MoS) for IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, extended his heartfelt congratulations to Tata Group for their momentous foray into iPhone production. He also lauded the conglomerate for taking over the operations of Wistron, solidifying Tata Group’s position as the leading domestic iPhone manufacturer.
On social media, Chandrasekhar expressed his support, saying, “PM @narendramodi Ji’s visionary PLI scheme has already propelled India into becoming a trusted & major hub for smartphone manufacturing and exports. Now within just two and a half years,
@TataCompanies will now start making iPhones from India for domestic and global markets from India. Congratulations to the Tata team for taking over Wistron operations.”
He further acknowledged Wistron’s contributions, stating, “Thank you @Wistron for your contributions, and great going for Apple in building a global supply chain from India with Indian companies at its helm.”
Tata Group’s Strategic Acquisition of Wistron
The acquisition of Wistron InfoComm Manufacturing (India) Pvt. Ltd by Tata Group has been confirmed through a stock exchange filing. This strategic move involved a transaction worth approximately $125 million. Tata Group’s acquisition of Wistron was driven by meticulous strategic considerations in alignment with the reconfiguration of the company’s global manufacturing strategy, as reported by TechCrunch.
India-Made iPhones Enter the Global Market
In a historic first, India-assembled vanilla iPhone 15 and 15 Plus models became available for retail in India on September 22, coinciding with their global launch. These India-made devices have not only enriched the Indian market but have also made their way into various parts of the world, marking a significant milestone in Apple’s global supply chain diversification. With the acquisition of Wistron by Tata Group, it is estimated that 7 percent of iPhone assembly will now occur in India.
Production Underway in Southern India
The production of the new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models is taking place at Apple’s contract manufacturer, Foxconn’s production unit, located in the southern Indian city of Chennai. This strategic move reinforces the commitment of both Tata Group and Apple to support the “Make in India” initiative while expanding their footprint in the ever-evolving smartphone industry.
The partnership between Tata Group and Apple represents a transformative moment in India’s manufacturing landscape and reaffirms the nation’s growing prominence in the global smartphone market. This collaboration also paves the way for enhanced job opportunities and economic growth in India, in line with the government’s vision of fostering a self-reliant, technologically advanced nation.