Foxconn (Apple’s largest contract manufacturer) is reportedly set to begin manufacturing metal casings for iPhones in India. The company has started work on a new facility at the ESR Industrial Park in Oragadam (near Chennai), where the casings will be produced, reports The Economic Times. This will be the first time Foxconn manufactures iPhone enclosures (the outer shells of the devices) in India, a component previously supplied by Tata Electronics.
Notably, iPhone casings are made using high-precision CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining from solid blocks of aluminium or stainless steel. The process involves over 80 complex steps, including nano-moulding, anodization, and polishing to ensure durability, signal compatibility, and a premium finish. These casings also play a crucial role in thermal management and antenna performance.
While the casing accounts for only about 2-3% of an iPhone’s total cost, its local production is seen as a significant step toward increasing the overall value added within India. Notably, Foxconn, along with Tata Electronics, serves as a primary supplier for Apple’s operations in India. Last year, its Chennai-based plant alone produced 20 million iPhones (including the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models).
Meanwhile, Foxconn’s new unit in Tamil Nadu is expected to operate alongside another major facility nearby, where the company is already building a display module plant. Together, these projects represent part of Foxconn’s broader expansion plan in the country, which also includes iPhone assembly lines near Bengaluru and AirPods manufacturing in Hyderabad. The combined investment across these projects is estimated to exceed $1.5 billion and is expected to generate tens of thousands of jobs.
The latest potential move clearly highlights Apple’s intention to strengthen its production in India, as the company continues to reduce its dependence on China and expand its manufacturing base in other countries. In the fiscal year ending March 2025, the company reportedly produced around $22 billion worth of iPhones in India (60% up from the previous year). Even in March 2025, the Cupertino giant shipped over $1.5 billion worth of iPhones from India to the US amid President Trump’s announcement of reciprocal tariffs.
However, these increasing investments and manufacturing capacity (now including iPhone casing production) in India clearly go against President Trump’s call to bring iPhone production back to the US. Last month (in May 2025), Donald Trump threatened to impose a new 25% tariff on iPhones manufactured outside the United States, directly pressuring Apple to shift production domestically. Earlier, during his state visit to Qatar, Trump revealed that he personally urged Apple CEO Tim Cook to stop expanding manufacturing operations in India.
