Apple to not make iPads, Mac PCs but may manufacture AirPods in India

Apple Inc is unlikely to manufacture iPads and Mac personal computers in India but it may start making AirPods here, a report by The Economic Times (ET) said. This comes amid reports that the Cupertino-based tech giant may soon start producing all its major products in India.

"While the finer details of Apple manufacturing were not discussed during Cook's visit, Apple has not expressed interest in making Mac PCs here (in India)," an official was quoted as saying in the ET report.

For Mac manufacturing, Centre is expecting Apple to come on board as a part of its new production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for IT hardware, which will be announced soon. However, ET reported that Mac sales in India have fallen in India as well as globally in the quarter that ended on March 31.

For iPads, Apple tried to shift its manufacturing from China to India in 2021 but the vendor was a Chinese company BYD. So, it failed to get the required approvals. In 2022, the company moved to Vietnam.

Earlier this week, Telangana's state IT minister KT Rama Rao announced that Foxconn will invest $500 million to set up manufacturing plants in the state.

Foxconn, earlier this year, won an order to make AirPods for Apple and is planning to build a factory in India to manufacture the products.

Foxconn in late March received approval from the Karnataka government for a $968 million investment in the state.