India’s iPhone assembly lines are offering a visible example of how manufacturing-led growth is drawing young women into the workforce at scale. Rishi Raj explains how this shift is unfolding, what the global experience shows, and where the government’s job policy may head next
l What the Apple ecosystem shows
EMPLOYMENT DATA FROM Apple’s contract manufacturers indicate that up to 140,000 workers are engaged across five iPhone factories in India at peak production, with about 70% of them women. That translates to nearly 100,000 women, largely in the 19–24 age group and mostly first-time job entrants. The scale is significant for a single brand and reflects how export-oriented manufacturing can absorb large numbers of young workers in a short period. The expansion has been driven by the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme launched in 2020, which enabled Apple and its vendors to scale up local manufacturing. With the scheme set to end on March 31, 2026, the government is preparing a second iteration to sustain this momentum.
l Why are women forming the bulk of the workforce?
INDIA’S FACTORY OPERATORS point to the nature of assembly-line work, which requires precision, consistency and adherence to standardised processes. Companies also say women workers tend to have lower attrition rates in such roles. Over time, this has led to a hiring model where women form the majority on shop floors, in some cases exceeding 80% of the workforce. Another factor is the availability of first-time job seekers willing to relocate. Many of these workers are drawn from smaller towns and rural areas, particularly in the southern states.
l How are these workers being trained?
MOST COMPANIES RUN in-house training programmes before deploying workers on the shop floor. In the iPhone ecosystem, recruits typically undergo a few weeks of training at factory premises, where they are familiarised with assembly processes, quality checks and safety protocols. The training is provided at no cost to workers and is designed to quickly prepare first-time entrants for industrial work. Industry executives describe this as one of the largest private-sector skilling efforts in recent years, given the volume of workers being inducted.
l What supporting infrastructure is being built?
THE SCALE OF hiring has required parallel investment in worker housing and transport. Large hostel facilities are being developed near manufacturing clusters, particularly in Tamil Nadu, to accommodate women workers relocating for jobs. Some of these facilities are designed to house tens of thousands of employees. This model of combining factory employment with dedicated residential infrastructure is seen as critical to sustaining large workforces, especially for women.
l How does this compare globally?
OTHER EXPORT-LED MANUFACTURING economies have followed similar trajectories. In Vietnam, electronics assembly plants employ a predominantly female workforce, often accounting for 60–70% of workers in large facilities. The country’s rise as a smartphone manufacturing hub has been accompanied by a steady increase in women’s participation in factory jobs. Bangladesh presents a more established example. Its garment sector, which drives the country’s exports, employs around 4 million workers, with women accounting for roughly 80% of the workforce. The expansion of apparel manufacturing there is widely seen as having reshaped female labour force participation. China’s earlier manufacturing boom also relied heavily on women workers in electronics assembly, particularly in large factory complexes that combined production with worker housing.
l Why southern states are ahead
STATES SUCH AS Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have emerged as centres for electronics and apparel manufacturing, and they account for a large share of women workers in factories. This is due to a combination of factors including better industrial infrastructure, established supply chains, availability of training institutions and higher female workforce participation. State-level policies have also played a role, particularly in facilitating land, power and labour availability. The presence of worker hostels and transport networks has made it easier for companies to hire women at scale. In contrast, northern manufacturing clusters have seen a slower rise in women’s participation, partly due to gaps in infrastructure and social constraints affecting mobility.
l What this mean for jobs policy
THE EXPANSION OF women’s employment in electronics manufacturing comes at a time when concerns about job losses due to automation and AI are growing. Policymakers see labour-intensive manufacturing as a counterbalance, capable of generating large numbers of entry-level jobs. The experience of the smartphone PLI scheme has therefore strengthened the case for extending such incentives, not just to boost exports but also to support employment. The next phase of policy will likely focus on deepening the supply chain, expanding into components and sustaining the pace of job creation. The Apple ecosystem offers a template, but scaling it across sectors and regions remains the larger challenge.