Tata to make iPhones in India after buying Wistron business

Foxconn Technology

27/10/2023 13:59

NEW DELHI, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Tata Group is set to start
assembling Apple  AAPL.O  iPhones in India after Wistron Corp
 3231.TW  approved the sale of its Indian manufacturing unit to
the salt-to-software conglomerate, a minister said on Friday. 
    A Tata company will start making iPhones in India for
domestic and global markets, Deputy Minister for Information
Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on social media platform X.
    The Wistron board approved the sale of Wistron InfoComm
Manufacturing India Private Limited to Tata Electronics Private
Limited for an estimated $125 million, according to a statement
from the Taiwan-based supplier shared by the minister.
    Wistron did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
    Apple has been touting India as its next big growth driver
as it looks to move some production away from China. 
    The tech giant began iPhone assembly in the country with
Wistron in 2017, before expanding through contracts with firms
including Foxconn  2354.TW , and Pegatron Corp  4938.TW .
    In December 2020, the Wistron plant in Karnataka state's
Narasapura was forced to shut for three months after workers
destroyed property during protests over non-payment of wages,
causing millions of dollars in losses.  

 (Reporting by Munsif Vengattil; Writing by Blassy Boben;
Editing by Alexander Smith)
 ((blassy.boben@thomsonreuters.com;))