Foxconn Hires 30,000 Workers at Women-Led iPhone Plant in Record India Ramp-Up

Taiwanese electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn has hired nearly 30,000 workers at its new iPhone assembly facility near Bengaluru within just eight to nine months, marking one of the fastest factory ramp-ups in India, according to a report by The Economic Times.

The Devanahalli plant, operated by Foxconn under its formal name Hon Hai Precision Industry, is largely women-led, with women accounting for around 80% of the workforce. Most employees are first-time industrial workers aged between 19 and 24, reflecting Apple’s growing emphasis on inclusive manufacturing as it expands production in India.

Spread across nearly 300 acres, the facility began trial production in April–May with iPhone 16 units and has since moved on to assembling the latest iPhone 17 Pro Max, sources said.

More than 80% of the plant’s output is exported, underscoring Apple’s strategy to position India as a major global manufacturing hub as it reduces reliance on China.

To support the expanding workforce, Foxconn has constructed six large dormitories, several of which are already operational, while additional housing facilities are under development. Once the plant reaches full capacity next year, employment is expected to rise to 50,000 workers.

With further expansion planned, the Devanahalli facility is projected to house more women workers at a single location than any other government or private establishment in India. Employees have migrated from neighbouring states, and the campus is being developed into a mini township featuring residential, healthcare, educational, and recreational infrastructure.

Workers receive free accommodation, subsidised meals, and earn an average monthly salary of around ₹18,000, among the highest wages for women in blue-collar manufacturing roles in the country.

Foxconn is investing close to ₹20,000 crore in the project, which is expected to become India’s largest manufacturing facility in terms of both employment and production capacity once fully operational. At peak scale, the plant is likely to house up to 12 iPhone assembly lines, compared to around four currently, surpassing Foxconn’s existing iPhone facility in Tamil Nadu.

The rapid expansion has been supported by India’s Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, introduced in 2021, as Apple steadily increases the share of iPhones manufactured in India amid global supply chain realignments.

Apple’s India operations are backed by a network of nearly 45 supplier companies involved in component manufacturing, sub-assembly, and logistics. New recruits at the Devanahalli plant undergo six weeks of on-the-job training before joining production lines, aimed at strengthening skills and deepening India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem.