“Right now, they have two units in Pune where they make WiFi, NFC (near field technology), RFID (radio frequency identification technology), camera optics, and some other power electronics. They have proposed to set up one more unit in Tamil Nadu,” said a senior Tamil Nadu government official. “Given the growing demand for consumer electronics, home appliances and e-mobility needs, they plan to expand and set up more units.”
Jabil currently has two operational units at the Ranjangaon Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation Zone in Pune where it manufactures plastic casings for Apple’s AirPods.
“They might look to get into making plastic casings for chargers, some older iPhone models, AirPods and maybe even some components for Apple watches and Mac. It will be a mix of assembly and manufacturing units,” a second official said.Jabil and Apple didn’t respond to ET’s email queries. Jabil entered India in 2023, producing plastic casings for Apple AirPods at its Pune facility. This September, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tamil Nadu government to set up an electronics manufacturing facility in Tiruchirappalli with an investment of ₹2,000 crore.
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Over the last few years, several suppliers from Apple’s global ecosystem have opened manufacturing and assembly units in India, while some new Indian companies such as Tata Electronics have entered the fray and built new facilities to assemble and manufacture components for the iPhone maker.
Of all Apple’s suppliers, 13 companies including Zhen Ding Technology, TDK Corporation, Tata Electronics, Sunwoda Electronic Company, Shenzhen YUTO Packaging Technology, Jabil, and Foxconn have manufacturing and assembly facilities in states such as Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
Apple has been scouting for new suppliers from India, Japan, and South Korea among countries in a bid to reduce its reliance on China.