Foxconn, the Chinese firm responsible for assembling iPhones for Apple in India, has reportedly instructed hundreds of its Chinese engineers and technical staff to return to China, ahead of iPhone 17 launch. Over 300 individuals have already departed, leaving behind only a small number of Taiwanese support personnel still stationed at the facility.
As reported by Bloomberg, most of the Chinese employees stationed at the company’s Indian manufacturing sites were instructed to head back to China around two months ago. Since then, over 300 workers have departed from the facilities. The reason behind the sudden recall of Chinese personnel has not been publicly disclosed.
Earlier this year, Bloomberg also noted that Beijing had informally urged local authorities and regulatory bodies to tighten restrictions on technology exports and equipment shipments to India and Southeast Asia. The initiative is widely viewed as an attempt to deter firms from relocating production operations away from China.
The timing is significant, as India currently produces close to 20% of the world’s iPhone supply. Foxconn recently invested approximately USD 2.56 billion in a new manufacturing facility near Bengaluru, aiming to roll out 100,000 iPhones from that plant by the end of December. Between March and May, the company exported iPhones valued at USD 3.2 billion from India, with the vast majority destined for the U.S. market.
According to the report, the withdrawal of Chinese personnel from India is expected to hamper the training of local employees and delay the transfer of technical expertise, potentially driving up smartphone manufacturing costs. However, another source noted that while the departure of workers is unlikely to compromise the quality of production in India, it may lead to reduced efficiency on the assembly line.
The report stated that an Apple spokesperson refused to provide a statement, and Foxconn did not reply to an email seeking their comments.
