Apple is expected to create up to 600,000 jobs in India by the end of this fiscal year. This massive job growth is part of Apple’s strategy to expand its operations in India and reduce its reliance on China for production.
Out of these jobs, 200,000 will be direct jobs created by March, with about 70% of these positions filled by women, according to the company’s estimates and data from its suppliers.
Officials reported that Apple’s three main manufacturers in India—Foxconn, Wistron (now Tata Electronics), and Pegatron—have already created 80,872 direct jobs. Other suppliers like Tata Group, Salcomp, Motherson, Foxlink in Tamil Nadu, Sunwoda in Uttar Pradesh, ATL in Haryana, and Jabil in Maharashtra have together created around 84,000 direct jobs.
Apple has become the biggest creator of blue-collar jobs in India over the past few years, employing mainly women and many first-time workers.
PLI Scheme Exceeds Expectations
Since the start of the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for smartphones in 2020, Apple and its suppliers have created around 165,000 direct jobs. The scheme aimed to create 200,000 jobs over five years, but the Apple ecosystem is on track to hit this target in just four years.
Additionally, Tata Group’s facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, is set to hire around 50,000 workers. This iPhone manufacturing unit will start production in October, gradually increasing capacity over time. The government estimates that for every direct job in electronics, three indirect jobs are created, which could mean 500,000 to 600,000 jobs by March.
India Following China’s Model
Apple is replicating its successful China model in India by building a complete ecosystem that drives large-scale job creation. Over the last 25 years, Apple is believed to have created over 4 million jobs in China’s manufacturing and app development sectors.
Apple began manufacturing iPhones in India in 2021, the first time outside of China. Since then, production in India has grown significantly, reaching Rs 1.20 lakh crore in FY24, with Rs 85,000 crore worth of exports. India now contributes about 14% to Apple’s global production, a big jump from 7% in FY23.
Tamil Nadu Leading the Way
Most of the new jobs—about 90,000—will come from Foxconn and Tata’s iPhone and component factories in Tamil Nadu, which has become a leader in electronics manufacturing. Recently, a large housing complex costing Rs 706.5 crore was opened by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to house 18,720 workers, mainly women, employed at the Foxconn iPhone factory.
In addition to this complex, Apple’s suppliers are planning to build more housing for their employees in other locations through public-private partnerships. The State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT), Tata Group, and SPR India are among those building these homes.
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