Apple’s supply chain in India generates 20,000 jobs, says report

Apple supply chain’s shift of operation to India, in line with the incentives provided by the government, has reportedly created around 20,000 job in the country to date.

According to a report in DigiTimes Asia, the number could have been higher were it not for the Covid-19 pandemic.

Manufacturers including Foxconn, Wistron and Pegatron were all committed to creating certain numbers of job opportunities when they applied to enter the subsidies programme under India’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI).

As per the report, if Foxconn and Wistron successfully meet their hiring plans pledged in their PLI application, they will each be adding 23,000 people to their Indian operations by the end of March 2022.

“The headcounts at Wistron’s operation in India had been already approaching 10,000 when a riot by workers took place at its plant in December 2020, forcing the company to halt and restructure its systems and operations,” the report claimed.

Pegatron plans to hire 6,000-7,000 workers in India by the end of March 2022, the report added.

“Pegatron India has not started operations yet as it only decided the location of its production site in India earlier this year”.

The number of Apple’s suppliers operating in India increased to nine in 2020, up from six in 2018.

The growth of headcounts hired by Apple suppliers will accelerate in sync with the number of suppliers shifting their supply chains to India.

In yet another fillip to the Make in India and domestic manufacturing dream of the Indian government, Apple said in March that its flagship and environment-friendly iPhone 12 smartphone will soon be produced in India for the local customers.

Apple started manufacturing iPhones in India in 2017 with iPhone SE. Today, Apple manufactures some of its most advanced iPhones in India including XR, iPhone 11, and now iPhone 12.

Apple’s suppliers in India are now utilising solar and wind energy for their needs.