Apple to produce all new iPhone 17 models in India for first time: Report

Tata’s new plant joining iPhone 17 production also points to the conglomerate’s potential role as a key partner of Apple. Tata Group is currently the only Indian company assembling iPhone 17s in the country, as Taiwan-based Foxconn has so far been Apple’s leading contractor here.

In 2023, Tata bought Wistron Corp’s Apple production plant located in Karnataka. It also owns a controlling stake in Pegatron’s plant just outside of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Tata-owned facilities are expected to contribute up to half of India’s iPhone output over the next two years, as per the report.

The value of iPhone exports from India has grown substantially. The Indian Express had earlier reported that India’s share in US smartphone imports surged to nearly 36 per cent in the first five months of 2025, from about 11 per cent in 2024. China, which continues to dominate the product category, saw its share drop from 82 per cent to 49 per cent over the same period.

Tariff threat looms large

In April, US President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on a number of countries, including India. Days later, the US exempted phones, computers and other electronic products from the reciprocal tariffs.

More recently, Trump slapped 50 per cent tariffs on India partly as a response to India’s purchases of Russian oil. However, Apple’s iPhones have so far emerged unscathed under exemptions. Earlier this month, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced a fresh commitment to invest $100 billion in the United States, with a particular focus on deepening its manufacturing base in the country.