Foxconn halts equipment, manpower from China to Indian iPhone factories

This article was originally published in Rest of World, which covers technology’s impact outside the West.

Foxconn is halting new work rotations for its Chinese employees at its Apple iPhone factories in India, and sending Taiwanese workers instead, according to five people familiar with Foxconn’s operations in India. Shipments of specialised manufacturing equipment meant for India have also been held up in China, the sources told Rest of World.

The development is likely to disrupt iPhone assembly lines in the Foxconn factories in the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, which produce iPhones as part of Apple’s efforts to diversify production away from China. Some of the sources said the Chinese government is responsible for the suspensions of worker deployments and equipment exports.

“Currently, the equipment and manpower are not allowed to go over [to India],” one of the sources told Rest of World. “And India doesn’t have the technology to produce the equipment.”

Apple and Foxconn did not respond to requests for comment. Chinese and Indian government authorities also did not respond to requests for comment.

If sustained, the suspensions are likely to hinder the broader ambition of Apple to develop next-generation iPhones in India with Foxconn, its long-term Taiwanese manufacturing partner. It also highlights the difficulties Apple faces as it…

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