Apple Inc. has started an iPhone 12 assembly line in India, the company’s second-biggest smartphone market in the world, according to Reuters. The Indian unit of Apple’s Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn will assemble the device in its plant in southern Tamil Nadu state.
Apple has been shifting some areas of production from China to other markets to navigate the trade war between Washington and Beijing.
In November, Foxconn reportedly started moving some iPad and MacBook assembly to Vietnam from China at Apple’s request.
Apple has bet big on India since it began iPhone assembly in the country in 2017 via another Taiwanese supplier, Wistron.
Foxconn, Wistron and a third supplier Pegatron have committed roughly $900 million together over five years to make iPhones in India, leveraging New Delhi’s $6.7 billion plan to boost smartphone exports.
Apple is also planning to bring the assembly of its iPad tablet to India. Apple stock is currently gaining. AAPL: NASDAQ is up 2.31% on premarket.
