Foxconn in talks to assemble Apple iPads in India: report

Apple supplier Foxconn appears to be looking to expand its operations in India. The Taiwan-based company is reportedly evaluating plans to assemble the iPad in the country. So far, Foxconn and Apple’s other contract manufacturers have only assembled iPhone models in India. The latest iPhone 15 series was assembled at Foxconn’s Chennai plant. In recent years, Foxconn has been rapidly expanding its presence in India by investing in manufacturing facilities in the southern states.

Foxconn evaluates plans to assemble iPad in India

a report by the Economic Times, citing unnamed sources, states that Foxconn is planning to assemble iPad units at its Sriperumbudur facility on the outskirts of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. Several rounds of talks with the government have reportedly already taken place. “Their experience so far has been very good and they are coming in with full force. They will double what they have in the next few years, which includes iPhone, iPads and some other products,” the report quotes the source as saying.

The production of Apple’s flagship tablets is expected to be feasible in India as the capacities required to produce the tablet are comparable to those for smartphone assembly. The assembly of Apple’s MacBook series laptops may take longer due to their smaller production volume.

Foxconn is also expected to benefit from India’s production linked incentives (PLI) as it invests more in India.

Apple’s plans to expand its portfolio of products assembled in India dovetail with the company’s efforts to produce more devices outside China. Apple last year moved part of its iPad development to Vietnam. The company will reportedly seek a manufacturing partner in India to make iPad models in the country. The company is also reportedly looking to increase production of components for AirPods wireless charging cases in India through Jabil. Pegatron and Tata Electronics are Apple’s primary suppliers in India.