Highlights:
• FoxConn withdrew more than 300 Chinese engineers from India.
• The construction of the iPhone 17 series is seen to be a cloud of crisis.
• A new plant in Bengaluru is also in crisis.
• Inhibiting rare minerals supply, emerged as a major challenge.
• Expect help from the government, but the situation is less likely to improve soon.
Apple is working on a plan to raise its production rapidly in India, but now there has been a major interruption in its way. Foxconn, which is Apple’s largest contract manufacturer in India, has sent over 300 Chinese engineers and technicians back to China. This decision may have a direct impact on Apple’s manufacturing plan in India.
Foxconn produces Apple’s iPhone in India. Recently, the company has called back Chinese employees from its Indian plants. FoxConn says it was necessary to send engineers and technicians to China as the company needs them to handle work in the factory there. However, this will definitely affect the iPhone manufacturing in India.
Crisis on iPhone 17 series plan:
The biggest impact of this move of FoxConn may have on the plan of the iPhone 17 series. Apple was preparing to start production for the iPhone 17 series in India. Especially the trial production of iPhone 17 Pro variants was to be started in India. For this, preparations were being made in collaboration with Tata Electronics.
According to sources, FoxConn had prepared a plan to start trial production of the iPhone 17 series around September. However, the return of Chinese engineers can reinforce the scheme. This will affect Apple’s manufacturing strategy.
New plant in Bengaluru, but now anxiety increases ,
Apple is building a large plant in Bengaluru under manufacturing expansion in India. The plant was expected to start production after July. Foxconn is working on the plan of about 1,000 new recruitments in this plant. After this, the company’s number of employees in India could be more than 40,000.
This plant is very important for Apple, as it was faster in iPhone production in India. But now due to lack of engineers, the work of this plant can also be slow.
Danger on supply of Rare Earth Minerals:
Another major problem is the lack of Rare Earth Minerals. These minerals play an important role in the manufacture of electronic products such as iPhone. According to Foxconn sources, obstruction of supply of Rare Earth Minerals is a serious issue, which can directly impact Apple’s production.
According to sources, Foxconn is now planning to call engineers from Taiwan and Vietnam to continue production in India. However, experts believe that it is not easy to solve the problem in this way. There are many reasons for the immediate cost and delay in supply chains behind this.
Efforts to solve at the government level too:
Apple and FoxConn have also contacted the Government of India and the Taiwan government regarding this entire matter. The Ministry of Meity has been informed about this crisis. The government is now considering this issue.
People associated with the industry say that the path of manufacturing expansion in India can be difficult in the coming months. Although the long -term plan to increase iPhone production in India still remains, it may take time for Apple and FoxConn to overcome this shock.
