India has marked a significant milestone by exporting electronic components to China and Vietnam for the first time, a move that plays a key role in Apple’s efforts to diversify its supply chain.
This development is a role reversal, as India, traditionally a net importer of electronic components, is now contributing to the manufacturing process of some of Apple’s most iconic products, such as MacBooks, iPhones, AirPods, Apple Watches, and Apple Pencils.
Apple’s suppliers, including Motherson Group, Jabil, Aequs, and Tata Electronics, are now producing mechanics such as enclosures for Apple’s products, excluding iPads.
These components are manufactured in India and exported to China and Vietnam, where they are used in the assembly of the final products. According to sources familiar with the matter, the move aims to bolster Apple’s domestic value addition and foster the growth of a local ecosystem in India.
“Apple is expanding domestic procurement beyond iPhones and key components, aiming to deepen value addition in India,” said an industry insider. “This initiative is a significant step toward making India a key player in global electronics manufacturing.”
For the past two decades, India has primarily been a net importer of electronic components and sub-assemblies from countries like China and Vietnam.
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However, with the emergence of a component ecosystem in India, experts believe the country is on track to achieve its target of $35-40 billion in component exports by 2030. The Indian government is expected to introduce a production-linked incentive scheme exceeding $3 billion to help achieve this ambitious goal.
Mechanics are essential components in electronic devices, as they hold the motherboard, CPU, and other sub-assemblies together. Manufacturing these parts requires complex engineering and high-tech machinery, which has now been developed within India.
Apple’s local manufacturing network continues to expand, with several major suppliers joining its efforts in India. Jabil, headquartered in Michigan, has started producing mechanics for AirPods at its Pune facility, while Aequs, located in Hubbali, Karnataka, is now manufacturing components for MacBooks.
Additionally, the Motherson Group has recently joined Apple’s supplier network, producing enclosures for iPhones.
Since partnering with Tata Electronics three years ago, Apple has steadily increased its local sourcing of components for iPhones made in India.
Tata Electronics has expanded its capacity to meet both local and export demands, including shipments to China. Jabil and Aequs have further contributed by manufacturing components for the Apple Pencil and Apple Watch, respectively.
The shift in India’s role from component importer to exporter signifies the growing strength of India’s electronics manufacturing sector. Apple’s decision to source components locally for products assembled in China and Vietnam marks a key step in the broader “Make in India” initiative.
According to Neil Shah, vice president at Counterpoint Research, “India is rising as a manufacturing alternative for Apple, alongside China and Vietnam. While it’s primarily components like enclosures now, the ‘Make in India’ initiative promises more advanced component manufacturing in the future.”
Apple’s move to build a more robust supplier ecosystem in India follows its record-setting export performance in 2024, when it shipped over Rs 1 lakh crore worth of iPhones from India.
Over the past two years, Apple has been expanding its Indian supplier network as part of a broader strategy to shift manufacturing out of China. Other Indian suppliers, including Sunwoda (battery packs), Foxlink (cables), and Salcomp (coils, power packs, and magnetics), also contribute to Apple’s production processes in India.
With Apple now exporting electronic components to China and Vietnam, India is cementing its position as a rising hub for electronics manufacturing.
The expanding component ecosystem signals a bright future for India’s electronics industry, which continues to benefit from both local and global demand.
As Apple’s operations in India grow, the country is poise to play a crucial role in the global supply chain for consumer electronics in the years ahead.
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