Foxconn in talks with Adani, Micromax for factories in India: CEO Terry Gou

Gou who met with the Prime Minister earlier in the day said the company is very interested in a number of government schemes including Make in India, Skill India, Digital India and Clean India.

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“We don’t want to be just manufacturers or assemblers but we want to get the whole supply chain… We are looking at long term hi-tech investment…. from a five to 10 year view,” he said, stressing that the company wants to “marry” its hardware capabilities with India’s software capacity.

The Taiwan-based company, which makes iPhone, iPad and other Apple products, is looking to manufacture LED TVs, batteries, data centres, routers and other electronics products in India as well as export them from here.

Gou also announced that Foxconn is in talks with billionaire Gautam Adani’s Adani Group for electronics manufacturing facilities and is also working with Indian tech firms including Micromax and Snapdeal.

While refraining from disclosing actual locations, Gou said the company is looking at states including Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra as possible locations for setting up manufacturing units. However, he underlined major concerns for the company including “logistics, supply chain, supply risk, infrastructure, particularly power, carbon emissions and land acquisition” as hurdles for setting up manufacturing and exporting facilities in India.

Gou also refused to discuss details of a possible deal with the Adani Group but said, “We will be working very closely with them.”

Earlier in the day, Adani Enterprises, the flagship company of the Adani Group, said it was in talks with the Foxconn to form a joint venture. “We are at the discussion stage only and have not signed any agreement which requires disclosure under Clause 36 of the Listing Agreement,” it said in a filing.

Meanwhile, the Foxconn chief also announced plans to work on the Clean India campaign. “We want to invest in Clean India and for that we are in talks with Greendust. We are about to close agreement but it is not final yet,” he said.