Apple’s Indian Supply Chain Expands: 350,000 Jobs Created and Full iPhone 17 Assembly Planned

Apple’s Indian supply chain has deepened considerably, with the expansion translating into around 350,000 jobs created across the region and partnerships with nearly 45 local enterprises, of which about 120,000 are direct hires, according to recent international reports. Since Apple began assembling the iPhone SE in India in 2017, the company has pushed to diversify production, drawing in major contract manufacturers such as Foxconn, Pegatron and Wistron and accelerating exports to the U.S.

Beginning in the second quarter of this year, iPhones assembled in Indian factories have been exported on a large scale. Plans for the upcoming iPhone 17 series reportedly involve as many as five Indian facilities, marking the first time the entire series could be fully assembled within India under India’s Make in India initiative. This strategic shift aims to reduce reliance on imports, modernise manufacturing and bolster India’s labour market and industrial ecosystem.