Apple currently has no plans to start making MacBooks and iPads in India anytime soon. While India is a good option for manufacturing iPhones due to the ongoing US-China trade issues, Apple says it’s difficult to make MacBooks and iPads in India right now. This is because the local market for these products is too small, and building a strong supply chain would be complicated.
However, Apple is studying the possibility of expanding its manufacturing in India to include more products beyond just iPhones and AirPods. Still, the company is mainly focusing on iPhones, as there’s already a large supply chain in place to support their production here.
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The Indian government has been working to attract Apple to set up production for more products in India. In 2023, the government introduced a larger Rs 17,000 crore incentive scheme to support IT hardware manufacturing, which is almost double the previous scheme of Rs 7,350 crore. However, Apple’s reluctance to manufacture MacBooks and iPads in India is seen as a setback, especially since Apple is the largest electronics company in the world.
One reason Apple isn’t planning to make MacBooks and iPads in India is that the demand for these products in India is limited. On the other hand, the iPhone market is doing well in India, which makes it easier to produce them here and sell them locally.
Another challenge is the need to build a strong supply chain in India, which could take three to four years. Apple also doesn’t need to set up a new production base for MacBooks and iPads, as they have enough global production capacity for these products.
Also See: Apple Moves iPhone Production to India: Here’s Why It Matters!
For now, Apple is focusing on India as a key manufacturing hub for iPhones. The company has already partnered with Foxconn and Tata Group to make iPhones in India, primarily for the US market. This is part of Apple’s strategy to reduce its reliance on China and diversify production locations. The long-term goal is for India to become a major hub for supplying iPhones to the US.
