MC EXCLUSIVE Apple deepens India manufacturing push, to offer 100+ supplier courses under $50-million global fund

Apple-Education-Hub-manufacturing

• Apple launches education hub in Bengaluru to boost supply chain skills
• Over 100 training programmes planned at supplier sites in India by end of 2026
• Apple expands vocational education for persons with disabilities with Salcomp

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Apple is sharpening its India strategy by investing deeper in the people powering its supply chain, rolling out skill-development programmes across more than 25 supplier facilities nationwide, beginning with Tata Electronics, even as India becomes both a critical manufacturing base and one of its fastest-growing markets.

Sarah Chandler, Apple’s Vice President of Environment and Supply Chain Innovation, told Moneycontrol in an interaction that the push reflects India’s expanding role in the company’s global manufacturing network.

The Bengaluru hub follows similar Apple education hubs in the United States, Vietnam and China — key supply chain centres — and will operate in collaboration with the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE). The new courses begin in March.

The initiative comes at a time when India is not only scaling up electronics manufacturing but also seeing rising demand for Apple products such as iPhones and MacBooks.

Under its global $50 million Supplier Employee Development Fund, Apple is rolling out expanded development courses across supplier sites, starting with Tata Electronics. By the end of 2026, Apple expects to offer over 100 training programmes at major manufacturing facilities in India.

The Bengaluru-based Apple Education Hub will initially support courses in digital literacy, Swift code, robotics, automation technology and smart manufacturing. Today, Apple and its partners offer more than 75 courses for supplier employees in India.

Globally, the fund has already benefited more than 18,000 supplier employees by providing employment and professional development opportunities across Apple’s supply chain.

“Workers in every place where we manufacture are critically important to us. Expanding access to education gives everyone more ways to realize their potential. Here in India, skills are a key driver of economic opportunity, and we think that can be transformative,” Chandler said.

“Fundamentally, we believe that you can't make the best products in the world without investing in the people who help make them.”

The executive said electronics manufacturing is witnessing tremendous growth across India. “That's exciting because it gives Apple an opportunity to deepen its support for the people who help make our products here,” she added.

Following the initial success of its robotics training programme launched in December 2024, Apple plans to expand the offering to more sites this year. The programme trains and qualifies factory educators at robotic labs, who then customise curriculum and deliver sessions at their respective facilities.

“We're very excited to see our suppliers and supplier employees in India embrace this wide range of courses and take control of their professional development and gain more opportunities…we really are working to continue to deepen our relationship with workers, and definitely to deepen our relationship with workers in India as we deepen our investment and support for people who help make our products here,” Chandler said.

Apple is also expanding its Vocational Education for Persons with Disabilities programme in India, recently launched with component manufacturing partner Salcomp. Around the world, Apple works with suppliers to provide programmes ranging from rights awareness training to technical, professional, health and community resilience education.

According to Counterpoint Research, Apple exited 2025 calendar year with its highest-ever smartphone market share in India at 9 percent by volume and 28 percent by value. The iPhone 16 was the top-shipped model in India in 2025.

With an expanding retail footprint, local manufacturing push and rising premiumisation in the market, Apple appears to be positioning India not just as a production hub but as a long-term demand driver through 2027 and beyond.

Asked about India’s growing appetite for Apple devices, Chandler said, “We love our customers in India, and across everything we do, we want people to remain at the center of Apple's growth in India — from supplier employees to partners on our retail team. We will continue to invest in skills, well-being, and opportunity, supporting sustainable long-term growth here.”