Foxconn Sets Up Massive iPhone Factory in India with Housing for 30,000 Employees

Foxconn, the world’s largest contract manufacturer of Apple products, is establishing a 300-acre iPhone-making facility in Devanahalli, Karnataka, India. This facility is part of Apple’s tactic to bolster production in India and diversify its production from China.

The Devanahalli plant is expected to produce close to 100,000 iPhones by December 2025, with assembly operations already begun in May. Foxconn has already spent roughly $2.56 billion on the Karnataka unit with plans of two phases of investment totalling almost Rs 6,000 crore by 2027. Located around 34 kilometers from Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, this first plant is a significant expansion for Apple’s manufacturing presence in India.

Dormitories for 30,000 Workers with Women Priority

A highlight of the initiative is the construction of dormitories to house approximately 30,000 factory workers. This makes it the largest dormitory living complex in India by a significant margin. Consistent with Foxconn’s commitment to workers’ welfare, the housing will prioritise female employees, who comprise about 50-80% of the workforce and decrease their long daily commutes. There are other Foxconn housing complexes at the Sriperumbudur plant in Tamil Nadu accommodating 18,000 workers.

With Apple CEO Tim Cook stating that the majority of USA iPhones sold in the June quarter will come from a new facility in India, this seems to signal a critical restructuring of supply chains at the global level. Foxconn’s deepening operations into India now include a new factory in Hyderabad manufacturing AirPods, in addition to the ones it already operates there in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana.

This significant investment and the associated housing project for workers signify Foxconn’s and Apple’s long-term commitment to using India as a major national manufacturing base.