Boost to "Make in India" - iPhone 11 will now be manufactured locally

Apple has begun with production of iPhone 11 in India. A small lot locally manufactured handsets were sent to the retail stores.

Just nine months ago, the iPhone XR found its way to factories in the country. Foxconn, Apple's manufacturing partner, is putting together the iPhone 11, in its plant in Chennai. They have also announced an investment of $1 billion for expanding its factories and production capacity in India. Assembling the iPhone 11 locally would help Apple avoid a 20% import tax, that is needed for importing the handset from countries that manufacture it, to the countries where they sell.

This not only shows Apple's commitment to the Indian market, but also how crucial this region is. Previously, the iPhone SE, 6s and 7 were being manufactured in Bangalore, by Wistron, which is a Taiwan-based manufacturing partner. Now they produce the iPhone XR.

Mr. Piyush Goyal, Commerce Minister, tweeted the information on Friday, “Significant boost to Make in India! Apple has started manufacturing iPhone 11 in India, bringing a top-of-the-line model for the first time in the country.".

As said in a previous article, India is a very crucial market for all smartphone companies. With over 500 million smartphone users, India accounts for major market share. Companies such as Xiaomi and Samsung have invested heavily in this market. The demand for smartphones has been on a constant rise.