iPhone 17 Production Begins in Bengaluru

Foxconn, Apple’s leading contract manufacturer, has begun production of the upcoming iPhone 17 at its new manufacturing plant in Devanahalli, Bengaluru, MB Patil, Karnataka minister of commerce and industries, announced on X. 

Earlier, PTI, citing sources familiar with the development, reported that production has recently begun on a “small scale”. 

The report also noted that this production is in addition to the one at the Chennai facility. Foxconn’s plant in Sriperumbudur near Chennai also assembles the iPhone 16 Pro and the Pro Max models. 

The facility at Devanahalli is Foxconn’s second-largest outside China, established with an investment of $2.8 billion. It also assembles the iPhone 16 and the 16e series. 

Besides Foxconn, Tata Electronics has also established numerous plants in the country to manufacture and assemble iPhones in India. 

Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, stated during the recent earnings call that the “vast majority” of iPhones sold in the United States will originate from India. 

Recently, it was reported that Foxconn exported 97% of the iPhones assembled in India to the US, a significant increase from 50% in 2024. The contract manufacturer shipped iPhones worth $3.2 billion from India between March and May of this year. 

However, both India and Apple’s contract manufacturers face many challenges due to geopolitical issues. Last month, it was reported that Foxconn asked hundreds of Chinese engineers and technicians to return from iPhone factories in India. Over 300 workers are said to have left.

Furthermore, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged Cook to shift iPhone manufacturing to the country to boost the local manufacturing ecosystem.

“Apple is scaling up its India output rapidly, and Bengaluru will play a pivotal role in making India the iPhone capital of the world. Despite initial challenges, Foxconn’s operations are on track, reaffirming investor confidence in Karnataka’s robust ecosystem,” Patil said.