iPhone 8, XS, XS Max Will Now ‘Made in India’; Govt. Approves Rs 5000 Crore Wistron Factory
Currently, only lower models such as SE and 6S are manufactured in India
Govt of India has given the green signal to Wistron’s plans to set up a Rs 5000 crore factory. This will mean that all the latest iPhones will be now manufactured in India, and will be Made in India.
This is seen as a big push towards Govt of India’s Make in India vision and plan.
Latest iPhones Will Be Now Make in India
Wistron is one of the largest Original Design Manufacturer, based in Taiwan. They employ more than 80,000 employees, worldwide. In India, they are currently manufacturing low-cost iPhones, which are mainly older models such as iPhone SE and iPhone 6S.
Recently, they submitted a plan to Govt. of India to establish a mega-factory with an investment of Rs 5000 crore. This plan has been approved by Govt.
IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “We have just approved Wistron’s Rs 5,091-crore application and it is with the Cabinet now… Wistron will make the latest iPhone models,”
This factory will be a big push for Govt.’s Make in India vision, as thousands of new jobs will be generated, and the latest iPhones will be now Made in India.
As per some reports, Wistrom is expected to manufacture iPhone 8 phones from their new factory, very soon.
Production of iPhone XS, XS Max in India
Meanwhile, Foxconn too has submitted a proposal to manufacture iPhone in India, and for that, they have submitted a proposal to invest Rs 2500 crore in India. Once that proposal is accepted, Foxconn can manufacture iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max in India.
iPhone SE and iPhone 6S, which are currently being manufactured by Wistron in India are 40% cheaper, compared to being imported from other countries. Local manufacturing saves import duties, and make them cheaper.
Interestingly, iPhone SE and iPhone 6S are no longer sold in the US.
Apple’s Manufacturing Controversy In India
Talks about Apple’s manufacturing plans in India have been going on since 2016. Foxconn had been the main contender and OEM for Apple in Asia, and they were keen to start manufacturing in India.
However, they had a long wishlist from Indian Govt., which included 15-year long custom duty holiday, on-demand clearance of critical parts and more. Govt. had initially denied these requests and had said that they are considering them with an open mind.
None the less, it seems that the issues have sorted out, and manufacturing will finally begin. We will keep you updated, as more details come in.
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