Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium Industries, M.B. Patil, said on Thursday that Apple Inc supplier Foxconn has plans to start manufacturing iPhone units at its proposed plant in Devanahalli by April 2024, and the state government will hand over the required land to the company by July 1 to facilitate the process.
Patil said this after the representatives of the company led by George Chu met him as part of a courtesy visit in which Information Technology and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge was also present.
The Rs 13,600 crore project which is expected to create 50,000 jobs.
"The identified 300 acres of land at ITIR in Devanahalli will be handed over by July 1. Along with this, the government will ensure providing 5 MLD of water, quality power supply, road connectivity and other infrastructure facilities," Patil said.
"The company has been asked to provide the details of the skill sets it seeks in the employees. Accordingly, steps will be taken to facilitate training programmes for the eligible candidates to make them employable," Patil added.
The Taiwan-based multinational company has already paid 30 per cent of the cost towards the land (Rs 90 crore) to Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB). It has set the goal to complete the project in three phases and has set a target of manufacturing 20 million units annually after the completion of the three phases.
Amid the local manufacturing push and an upcoming widespread retail store strategy, Apple shipped $7.5 billion worth iPhones and iPads in India in FY22-23.
In FY23, Apple shipped more than 7 million iPhones and half a million iPads in the country, registering a 28 per cent growth for iPhone shipments, according to initial estimates provided by market intelligence firm CMR.
As Apple doubles down on domestic manufacturing in India, the tech giant is likely to garner 6 per cent market share in FY23-34, with selling more than 8 million iPhones in the country in the period.
(With inputs from IANS)
