India's largest conglomerate wants a piece of iPhone assembly
William GallagherTim Cook in India in 2018 (Source: Apple)
Multinational conglomerate Tata is in talks with iPhone assembler Wistron, and aims to partner with the Apple supplier in India.
Wistron restructured its management in April 2021, following the worker riots the preceding December. Since then, it has sold an iPhone plant to Luxshare, and seen financial incentives to build factories in India.
According to The Indian Express, Wistron is now in talks with the Tata Group about its India operations. Reportedly, Tata aims to establish a joint venture with Wistron, that would see them jointly assembling iPhones in India.
The intention is to bolster Tata's technology manufacturing by using expertise from Wistron. The India Express says that such a venture would also be a boon for India's technology industry.
No details of the plans have yet been confirmed, but the publication reports that the Tata Group could be intending to buy equity in Wistron's India plants. It's also possible that two companies might build a new assembly plant together.
Wistron, the Tat Group, and Apple have all not yet commented publicly.
Separately, reports in August 2022 said that part of Apple's new iPhone 14 range would already be manufactured in India.
Wesley Hilliard
Andrew Orr
Amber Neely
