A Quiet Exodus: Foxconn Repatriates Chinese Engineers from India’s iPhone Hub
A significant, yet quietly unfolding, shift is underway at Foxconn’s massive iPhone manufacturing facility near Chennai, India. The Taiwanese electronics giant has reportedly begun instructing many of its Chinese engineers and technicians to return home, signaling a deepening commitment to localizing its production capabilities within India. This move, which commenced approximately two months ago, has seen over 300 Chinese professionals depart, leaving behind primarily support staff from Taiwan.
Strategic Realignment: Why Foxconn is Shifting Its Workforce
This strategic realignment by Foxconn, a key supplier to Apple, aligns with broader trends in global supply chain diversification. According to a Bloomberg report, Foxconn has even communicated this substantial personnel shift to the Indian government. The decision underscores a growing emphasis on de-risking supply chains, particularly in light of evolving geopolitical dynamics and a push towards manufacturing resilience outside of China.
India’s Ascent as an iPhone Export Powerhouse
The numbers paint a compelling picture of India’s surging importance in Apple’s global manufacturing strategy. Earlier this year, a Reuters report highlighted Apple’s ambitious goal: to produce the majority of iPhones sold in the United States from Indian factories by the close of 2026. This vision is rapidly becoming a reality. Between March and May, an astonishing 97% of iPhones exported by Foxconn from India were destined for the United States, a dramatic leap from the 2024 average of around 50%.
Unprecedented Export Growth: India-Made iPhones Flood US Markets
The scale of this shift is remarkable. Commercially available customs data, as reviewed by Reuters, indicates that Foxconn exported iPhones valued at an astounding $3.2 billion from India between March and May alone. The overwhelming majority, 97%, sailed directly to the U.S. This compares to a 2024 average of just 50.3% of India’s iPhone exports reaching American shores. For context, Foxconn has already shipped iPhones worth $4.4 billion to the U.S. from India in the first five months of 2025, easily surpassing the $3.7 billion total for the entirety of 2024. May 2025 alone saw nearly $1 billion worth of devices shipped, marking the second-highest monthly volume ever, just behind March’s record $1.3 billion.
Prime Minister Modi’s Vision: India as a Global Smartphone Hub
This dramatic surge in production and exports is not accidental. It is a direct response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s persistent drive to transform India into a premier smartphone manufacturing hub. Initiatives and incentives championed by the Indian government have made the nation an increasingly attractive destination for global tech giants like Apple and its key partners, Foxconn. This evolving landscape signifies not just a change in Foxconn’s staffing, but a fundamental re-calibration of the global technology manufacturing ecosystem, with India at its core.
