Apple To Open 4th India Store In Mumbai’s Borivali

Apple is opening its fourth retail store in India. The big tech major has reportedly selected Mumbai’s Borivali as the location of its newest outlet, which will span 12,616 square feet on the ground floor of the Sky City Mall. 

According to an NDTV Profit report, the lease runs nearly 11 years, starting at a monthly rent of INR 17.35 Lakh. The rent will increase by 15% every three years, with Apple already paying a security deposit of over INR 1 Cr for the premises.

This will be Apple’s second store in Mumbai, following the flagship outlet at Bandra Kurla Complex that opened in April 2023. The big tech giant, which also has a store in Delhi’s Select City Walk, has signed a lease for another location in Bengaluru’s Phoenix Mall of Asia.

The retail expansion comes as Apple accelerates its manufacturing plans in India. In recent weeks, a Tata Electronics facility in Tamil Nadu’s Hosur began assembling older iPhone models on one production line. 

Meanwhile, Foxconn is preparing to begin trial operations at its $2.6 Bn plant on the outskirts of Bengaluru. The factory will manufacture iPhone 16 and 16e models, with an initial output of 300–500 units per hour. The site is expected to be completed by December 2027 and employ up to 50,000 people at full capacity.

Apple’s move to grow its footprint in India, both in terms of manufacturing and consumer access, comes amid ongoing trade tensions between the US and China. With tariffs affecting its Chinese production hubs, Apple has shifted a part of its production to India. 

In March, the company reportedly shipped around iPhones worth $2 Bn to the US from India, fearing tariff reprisals.

Meanwhile, Foxconn, a key Apple supplier, has also seen significant growth in the country. As per reports, its India revenue more than doubled to over $20 Bn in FY25, and its workforce grew by over 65% to reach around 80,000 employees.

Apple’s Bumpy Manufacturing Shift

Notably, Apple assembles around 30 Mn to 40 Mn iPhones in India each year, nearly a quarter of its global output. But efforts to scale further face challenges, many tied to China.

Earlier this year, Chinese authorities reportedly blocked the export of essential machinery for iPhone 17 trial production to India. One of Apple’s suppliers had to route the equipment via a Southeast Asian “front company” to bypass restrictions.

What makes India an alluring pivot for Apple is the Centre’s production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes, a vast market and a slew of sops offered by local governments. Still, the transition from China may not be smooth. 

Apple’s factories in India follow local labour laws, requiring 8-hour shifts, unlike China’s 12-hour model, leading to higher staffing needs. Although rules were amended to allow longer shifts, Indian workers reportedly prefer the current format.

Quality control has also proven tricky. Sub-assembly lines set up in India in 2023 reportedly didn’t meet Apple’s standards and were shifted back to China.

Meanwhile, China has increased scrutiny of equipment exports to India. Foxconn has seen approval times stretch from two weeks to four months, with authorities allegedly blocking or delaying shipments without explanation.