By Abhay Ray 
Introduction
As Apple looks to diversify its supply chain away from China, the Taiwanese firm Foxconn is readying a 300-acre campus for its army of workers who assemble Apple products. Foxconn, has invested $2.56 billion in the Devanahalli plant. It is constructing hostels for employees on Devanahalli and Chapparadahalli villages in Devanahalli taluk. The location is around 23 kilometers from Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport. Foxconn has already invested ₹ 3,000 crore in the first phase (2023-24) and plans to match this investment in the second phase (2026-27). The target is to manufacture 100,000 iPhones by December this year.
Last week, US President Donald Trump’s statement to Apple CEO Tim Cook: “I don’t want you building in India,” made during his Qatar visit to Doha, appears to have had little impact on the tech giant’s strategic plans. Despite Trump’s comments, Cook maintains that the majority of iPhones destined for the US market will be manufactured in India instead of China, with the company steadily progressing towards this objective.
Dorms to House 30,000 Workers
The new dormitories are expected to house around 30,000 workers, making it the biggest such facility in India. ET reported that construction of the dorms is in full swing and is likely to be completed by the end of the year. The dorms are meant only for workers, not senior executives.
A key feature of the project is that women workers will be given preference for dormitory housing. According to ET, 50–80% of the workforce at the Devanahalli plant are women. One employee told the publication that women travel long distances to reach work, and the dorms will help reduce this daily struggle. A banner at the construction site referred to the “Safety alert month for the new dormitory project in area C&D of the Elephant Project,” which is the internal name for the iPhone plant in Devanahalli. Foxconn already follows a similar worker housing model at its Sriperumbudur unit in Tamil Nadu, where it has dorms for around 18,000 employees. Foxconn is reported to have more than doubled its revenue in India to over USD 20 billion (about ₹1.7 lakh crore) in the financial year 2024-25 on account of a jump in iPhone production
iPhone Production Underway
Foxconn employees told ET that some iPhone models have already entered production as of May, with others expected to follow in August. The company is reportedly getting ready to start shipments from the Devanahalli unit by June. Wan Hai container trucks used for transporting goods were seen parked near the campus during ET’s visit, possibly in preparation for these shipments. Wan Hai Lines is a Taiwanese shipping company known for its network in Asia.
Foxconn’s Devanahalli plant is expected to become one of its largest units in the world after China, under the company’s “China+1” strategy. This approach is meant to reduce reliance on manufacturing in China by increasing operations in other countries like India. Foxconn is also a key supplier of components for iPhones, along with Tata Electronics in India. Tata has recently taken over the India units of Wistron and Pegatron, both Apple suppliers.
Foreign Staff and Housing
Some senior employees from Taiwan working at the Devanahalli plant are living in rented houses and hotels nearby, according to Indian employees at the unit. Sandeep Reddy, cofounder of property data firm Zapkey, told ET that expatriates working at Foxconn are renting homes at high-end real estate projects, with rents starting from ₹ 2.5 lakh.
In November last year, ET reported that real estate company BCD Group leased 900 ready-to-move-in residential units to Foxconn in Hoskote, near Devanahalli. These homes, priced under ₹ 45 lakh each, were built at a cost of ₹ 500 crore and are expected to house between 6,000 and 8,000 women workers. The 75-acre township will also have commercial areas, schools, health centres and entertainment zones, according to BCD Group MD Angad Singh Bedi.
Plans to Make Millions of iPhones
In March, ET reported that Foxconn plans to produce 25–30 million iPhones in India in 2025, which is more than double the number it made in the country last year. Apple CEO Tim Cook said on May 1 that in the June quarter, the company expects most iPhones sold in the United States to be made in India instead of China.
Foxconn currently has operations in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Telangana. Apart from the Bengaluru unit, it has also started a new facility in Hyderabad to manufacture AirPods, showing the expansion of Apple’s product manufacturing in India. Its main iPhone assembly centre continues to be its Sriperumbudur campus near Chennai.
Conclusion
Foxconn’s $2.56 billion investment in its Devanahalli plant marks a major shift in Apple’s global supply strategy, emphasizing India as a key manufacturing hub. With plans to produce 100,000 iPhones by year-end and scale to 25–30 million units in 2025, the facility supports Apple’s goal of reducing dependence on China. Worker dormitories for 30,000 , primarily women highlight Foxconn’s focus on workforce welfare and efficiency. Despite political commentary, Apple is committed to expanding in India, with production already underway and shipments expected soon. This move not only boosts India’s electronics sector but reinforces the country’s role in global tech manufacturing.
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