Apple Scouts For New Suppliers For Critical Components In India

Global smartphone major Apple is reportedly scouting for Indian, Japanese and South Korean suppliers which can provide critical components to its contract manufacturers in India. 

According to an Economic Times report, the tech giant is looking for equipment like batteries, camera lens, chargers and others required to make its flagship iPhones and iPads in India. 

This comes at a time when the Indian government has delayed approvals to import such above-mentioned equipment from the existing suppliers, majorly of Chinese origin. 

In January, nearly 17 Chinese companies that supply components for Apple devices, applied for clearances to set up manufacturing facilities in India, which have been put on hold by the government.

Of the suppliers, Sunny Optical Technology Group and Han’s Laser Technology Industry Group are camera lens makers, Luxshare-ICT is airpod maker and ON Semiconductor Shenzhen China is a capacitor chip maker. 

“The approvals (in January) were only initial approvals. Because most of these companies have Chinese origin, national security is also an issue. Those approvals have to be carefully given. Issues of environmental clearances, which are a state subject, are given by expert committees,” a senior government official told ET.

According to the publication’s source, Luxshare-ICT moved its manufacturing unit to Vietnam due to the delay in approval from the Indian government. However, government officials reported that not all the applications have been turned down. Some may be approved post careful consideration. 

Recently, Japan’s TDK Corporation was reported to be planning to set up its lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery manufacturing unit in India for producing iPhone’s battery indigenously. Reports also surfaced that the company will set up the 180-acre facility in Haryana’s Manesar,  and the manufactured cells will be supplied to Sunwoda Electronics, Apple’s Li-ion battery assembler, which imports cells from various global markets.

For some time now, Apple has been making several headlines in India. Some members of the Parliament have flagged security concerns over the use of iPhones, following which the government has firmed up against the tech giant about its privacy issues. 

In November, Inc42 reported that Apple’s cybersecurity executives from the US are expected to meet officials of CERT-In, the Indian government’s nodal agency on computer security, in connection with the show cause notice issued to the tech giant after several opposition leaders alleged warning notification on their iPhones. 

However, the company continues to pave the way for its ambitious plans around India. It said that it is aiming to produce iPhones worth INR 1 Lakh Cr in India by the end of March 2024. 

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