Apple eyes Indian firms to build iPhone assembly machines as China imports face delays: Report

If Apple goes ahead with its plan to manufacture iPhones in India for global markets, including the entire US demand, production value could jump from $22 billion in FY25 to $40 billion within a year or two.

Apple Inc is exploring partnerships with Indian companies to manufacture machines and capital equipment needed for making iPhones in the country, according to a report by Business Standard. This move comes as imports of key machinery, mostly made in China, face indefinite delays at Indian ports, putting production timelines at risk.

A senior official from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) confirmed the development, saying Apple is actively identifying local firms that can build the specialised machines required for iPhone assembly. “This is part of Apple’s broader effort to localise its supply chain and reduce dependence on imports,” the official told Business Standard.

The demand for these machines is expected to surge, especially with two new manufacturing plants, one by Foxconn and the other by Tata Electronics, preparing to begin iPhone production in India.

The challenge, however, lies in producing highly specialised machinery for Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 series, including the complex Pro and Pro Max models set to launch globally around September–October this year, the Business Standard report adds. These phones require newer machines and retrofitting of existing ones, a process that can take months. Any delays could disrupt assembly schedules and affect both domestic sales and exports.

Typically, Apple’s key assemblers like Foxconn procure machines through Apple-owned subsidiaries. For instance, in July last year, an Indian unit of Hon Hai (Foxconn’s parent company) bought equipment worth $33 million from Apple Operations Ltd, a Taiwan filing revealed.

Indian companies, including the Tata group, which recently took over Wistron and Pegatron’s local operations, have already invested over Rs 20,000 crore in iPhone production, analysts estimate. But experts say local capital equipment makers will need technical guidance from Apple or its existing suppliers to meet the company’s exacting standards.

If Apple goes ahead with its plan to manufacture iPhones in India for global markets, including the entire US demand, production value could jump from $22 billion in FY25 to $40 billion within a year or two. However, if U.S. tariffs on phone imports remain in place and India falls short of meeting demand, the country’s iPhone production value is still expected to grow to around $30–32 billion by FY27.