India’s iPhone boom accelerates as Tata reportedly crosses 75,000 employees
The Economic Times reports that Tata Electronics has boosted headcount across its iPhone-related facilities in India to more than 75,000 employees, an eye-catching milestone in Apple’s broader push to diversify production beyond China.
What’s driving the hiring surge?
If accurate, the jump is dramatic: Tata Electronics reportedly grew from about 15,000 employees in 2023 to 75,000 today, driven largely by its Hosur operations in Tamil Nadu, plus capacity added via facilities it acquired from Pegatron and Wistron. Tata is also investing in component manufacturing for iPhones.
By headcount, that would put Tata ahead of Foxconn in India for now, though Foxconn is expected to increase its own employee headcount as a huge new factory comes online.
China+1
The bigger story is Apple’s “China+1” strategy: India is increasingly positioned as a second major manufacturing base for iPhones, with more suppliers, skills development, and (gradually) more local component work coming online.
Some forecasts have suggested India could reach roughly 45–50% of global iPhone production by 2027, but timelines vary and capacity will depend on how quickly the ecosystem deepens. Meanwhile, India’s iPhone export boom is already tangible: iPhone exports from India reached about $23 billion in 2025, with most devices shipped to the US.
You can follow me on social media! Join me on BlueSky, LinkedIn, and Mastodon.
