iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus to be made in India by Tata Group as Apple looks to diversify supply sources: Report

Tata Group, one of India’s leading conglomerates, has entered into a manufacturing contract with Apple for its upcoming iPhone 15 and 15 Plus in India. The news comes from TrendForce, a Taiwanese market intelligence provider, that claims Tata will be the fourth iPhone manufacturing partner for Apple in India. It is unknown exactly what percentage of the total iPhones will be manufactured in India in partnership with Tata but it is worth noting that Apple currently has three manufacturing partners in India – Wistron, Foxconn, and Pegatron.

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“Due to geopolitical and pandemic, Apple has been accelerating the diversification of its supply sources with India being the most well-known case for such transfer. According to TrendForce, India’s Tata Group is expected to become the fourth iPhone assembler for Apple,” reads the report.

As per the report, Apple is eyeing Tata Group for the fact that it is one of the largest conglomerates in India. This also means that the first shipments of iPhone 15 will be first received in India. Usually, the iPhones in India come late and there are also issues like delayed shipments. The manufacturing in India could also help bring down the price of iPhone 15 series.

This will give a significant boost to Tata that has been looking to expand its electronic presence in India. Apple has been looking to diversify its manufacturing base in recent years, in order to reduce its dependence on China due to factors like Covid restrictions and supply chain issues. The company already manufactures some of its devices in India including the latest iPhone 14, iPhone SE, and iPhone 13.

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The move to manufacture the iPhone 15 in India is a further sign of Apple’s commitment to the country that recently opened two offline outlets- first in Mumbai followed by the second in Delhi. The news is also likely to be welcomed by the Indian government, which has been trying to attract more foreign investment in the manufacturing sector under its Make in India initiative.