Major Apple supplier Foxconn said on Saturday it was looking to collaborate with India in new areas such as chips and electric vehicles (EVs) following a visit by Chairman Liu Yongwei to the country.
Apple has been shifting production away from China after the country’s strict COVID-19 restrictions disrupted manufacturing of new iPhone models and other devices, as well as tensions between Beijing and Washington.
India’s trade minister said in January this year that Apple wanted India to account for about 7% of its production, up from the current 5%. Apple started assembling iPhones in India in 2017 through Wistron and later Foxconn.
Taiwan’s Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., the world’s largest electronics contract manufacturer, said Mr Liu visited India from February 27 to Saturday.
“My visit this week supports Foxconn’s efforts to deepen partnerships, meet old friends, make new ones, and seek cooperation in new areas such as semiconductor development and electric vehicles,” Liu said in a statement.
Foxconn has ambitious plans to make electric cars and is also looking to make chips.
Liu added: “Foxconn will continue to communicate with local governments on the basis of sharing, collaboration, and mutual prosperity to seek the most beneficial development opportunities for the company and all stakeholders.”
He did not mention any new specific investment plans in the country, and Foxconn has not announced any plans since his trip.
Apple Inc’s iPhones will soon be assembled at another site in the southern Indian state of Karnataka and 300 acres (120 hectares) of land have been set aside to build a factory, the government of the southern Indian state of Karnataka said on Friday.
Currently, iPhones are assembled in India by at least three of Apple’s global suppliers – Foxconn and Pegatron in Tamil Nadu, and Wistron in Karnataka.
© Thomson Reuters 2023