Shillong, October 27: With Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Wistron selling its India operations to Tata Group for $125 million, Tata Electronics is set to become the first Indian company to manufacture the latest Apple iPhones in the country, a significant boost to the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
As per IANS, currently, Wistron’s factory in Karnataka assembles iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 12, and iPhone SE (second generation), which Tatas will now take over.
Tata Group will acquire a 100 percent stake in Wistron InfoComm Manufacturing (India) Pvt., following board approval, as announced in a regulatory filing.
The deal has been eagerly awaited and comes as a strategic move in response to the group’s product strategy and global manufacturing layout adjustments.
Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, commended this development, stating that Tata Group will commence iPhone manufacturing in India for domestic and global markets within two and a half years, thanks to PM Narendra Modi’s PLI scheme.
The industry experts see this as a logical step for Tata Group to gain expertise in manufacturing high-end iPhones in the country, especially considering their ambitions in semiconductors and electric vehicles.
The acquisition of Wistron’s factory, which employs around 12,000 people, positions Tata Group as a pivotal player in the iPhone manufacturing ecosystem.
Apple is increasing its manufacturing presence in India to reduce its reliance on China and expand its share of the Indian smartphone market.
Driven by domestic manufacturing, Apple iPhones are expected to capture 7 percent of the Android-dominated smartphone market in India this year, with shipments growing significantly.
With the ‘Make in India’ initiative, Apple aims to increase production and exportation, making India a crucial player in the global electronics value chain.
Tata’s semiconductor ambitions are seen as a strategic move, aligning with India’s digital goals and potentially future collaborations with Apple.
India has become a major manufacturing hub for mobile phones, witnessing substantial investments and a surge in exports, with Apple leading the market share.