The eagerly awaited Foxconn factory near Devanahalli in Bengaluru has officially begun producing the iPhone 17 on a small scale, marking a major leap in Apple’s India strategy. Set up with an investment of approximately USD 2.8 billion (around ₹25,000 crore), this plant has become Foxconn’s second-largest iPhone manufacturing facility outside China.

Although Apple and Foxconn have not released official statements, the development underlines their strategic push to expand production in India, complementing the ongoing iPhone 17 assembly at Foxconn’s Chennai plant.

Earlier this year, the Bengaluru facility's operations were briefly disrupted when dozens of Chinese engineers departed abruptly. However, Foxconn swiftly addressed the issue by deploying technical experts from Taiwan and elsewhere, ensuring minimal impact on production timelines.

Karnataka’s Industries Minister M B Patil heralded the milestone, stating it showcases the state's emergence as a high-tech manufacturing hub. He emphasized that the expansion is driving job creation, supply chain strength, and boosting India’s export ambitions—with Bengaluru poised to become the “iPhone capital of the world.”

Background:

• The Devanahalli plant was agreed upon in 2023 between Foxconn and the Karnataka government, aiming to transform the region into a tech manufacturing hub and generate thousands of local jobs.

• Foxconn’s broader push to shift more Apple production from China to India aligns with global trends like Apple’s “China-Plus-One” strategy, political pressures, and trade diversification ambitions.

This move comes amid Apple’s aggressive ramp-up of its India output. The goal is to elevate annual iPhone production to 60 million units in 2025, up from 35–40 million in 2024–25. In the fiscal year ending March 2025, Apple assembled 60% more iPhones in India, worth nearly USD 22 billion. CEO Tim Cook has also noted that the majority of iPhones sold in the U.S. during the June 2025 quarter were manufactured in India.