Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn has reportedly hired nearly 30,000 workers for its new iPhone assembly plant near Bengaluru. The facility, located in Devanahalli on a 300-acre site, has achieved this scale in just eight to nine months, with production trials beginning in April-May this year. It is now assembling models including the iPhone 17 Pro Max, with over 80 percent of output destined for export.
How does the new Foxconn iPhone facility operate?
Around 80 percent of the new hires are women, primarily aged 19-24 and entering their first jobs after completing high school or polytechnic education, reports ET. Many are migrants from neighbouring states, drawn by average monthly salaries of Rs. 18,000, free accommodation in dedicated dormitories, and subsidised meals.
New recruits undergo six weeks of on-the-job training. The plant currently operates around four assembly lines but is set to expand to a dozen next year, potentially employing up to 50,000 workers at peak capacity.
Foxconn is investing approximately Rs. 20,000 crore in the project, transforming the site into a mini-township complete with residential quarters, medical facilities, schools, and recreational amenities.
Boost for India’s electronics manufacturing
The Devanahalli unit is poised to become India’s largest factory by employment and production volume, surpassing Foxconn’s existing Tamil Nadu facility, which employs nearly 41,000 workers.
The rapid growth aligns with Apple’s efforts to diversify its supply chain away from China, supported by India’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. Nearly 45 local companies now contribute to iPhone production in India, covering all models for global markets.
A senior government official described the expansion as evidence of successful government-industry collaboration, noting that such scale would have been ‘unimaginable’ four years ago.