By Emma Whitaker 
Apple is doubling down on its pivot to India, with longtime partner Foxconn set to break ground on a $1.5 billion display module factory near Chennai. The move is a clear step in Apple’s strategy to diversify its supply chain away from China, despite President Trump’s vocal demands for companies to bring manufacturing back to U.S. soil.
According to two Indian government sources, the new facility in Tamil Nadu, spearheaded by Foxconn’s subsidiary Yuzhan Technology India, will exclusively supply critical components for Apple’s product lineup. The investment underscores Apple’s ongoing shift from China, a trend that predates the pandemic but gained steam amid supply chain disruptions. A Monday filing with the London Stock Exchange confirmed Foxconn’s $1.5 billion commitment to the project, located in ESR Industrial Park, just a stone’s throw from its existing iPhone assembly plant.
An unnamed Indian official revealed that the factory is purpose-built to serve Apple, with plans to produce all 60 million iPhones sold annually in the U.S. from India by the end of next year. This aligns with Counterpoint Research data, which shows India’s share of global iPhone production climbing from 18% in 2024 to a projected 32% in 2025.
The expansion is poised to create 14,000 jobs in Tamil Nadu, per local officials, cementing India’s growing role as a manufacturing hub. But the strategy has drawn ire from Trump, who last week lambasted Apple CEO Tim Cook, saying, “We’re not interested in you building factories in India!” Trump has long criticized Apple’s reliance on overseas production, particularly in China, and continues to push for a U.S.-based manufacturing revival.
Apple’s bet on India reflects a broader recalibration of global supply chains, balancing cost, resilience, and geopolitical risks. For now, the tech giant is charging ahead, undeterred by political headwinds in Washington.
Ethan Caldwell 
Andreas Lundberg