Apple CEO Tim Cook and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin jointly inaugurated the company's largest manufacturing facility in India on Tuesday. The plant, located in Sriperumbudur near Chennai and operated by Foxconn, will produce iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models for global distribution.
Scale and Scope
The facility spans 200 acres and employs over 25,000 workers at full capacity. It is the first Apple manufacturing plant in India capable of producing the company's most advanced and expensive products — previously, Indian factories only assembled older and mid-range iPhone models.
Production of the iPhone 18 Pro lineup will begin in September, timed with the global product launch. Apple aims to manufacture 25 percent of all iPhones in India by 2027, up from approximately 14 percent currently.
Economic Impact
The facility has been developed under the government's Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for electronics manufacturing. Apple and Foxconn together have committed an investment of approximately $2 billion over five years.
"India is not just a market for Apple — it is becoming central to our global manufacturing strategy. The talent, infrastructure, and government support here are exceptional," Cook said at the inauguration.
- 25,000 direct jobs, predominantly for women from surrounding districts
- $2 billion committed investment over five years
- Expected annual exports of $10 billion by 2028
The plant is expected to catalyze the development of a broader electronics manufacturing ecosystem in Tamil Nadu, with Apple's supplier network establishing additional facilities in the region.
