IANS | 17 Apr, 2024
As Apple continues to minimise its dependence on China, the iPhone
maker is increasing investments in India and is reportedly in advanced
talks with Tata Group's Titan Company and Murugappa Group to assemble
sub-components for phone camera modules, giving an impetus to the "Make
in India' initiative and the country becoming an integral part of the
global supply chain.
According to reports, there are currently no
Indian suppliers for the iPhone's camera module, which is a
sophisticated piece of technology, and this move could reduce Apple’s
dependence on Chinese suppliers.
Both Murugappa and Tata’s Titan have a solid background in high-precision manufacturing.
Both
Titan and Murugappa have already qualified for government incentives
under the PLI scheme to set up a chip assembly unit in the country.
Tata or Murugappa Group did not immediately comment on the reports.
Last
year, Tata Group acquired Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Wistron's
India operations for $125 million. It is also reportedly eyeing to
acquire Pegatron's iPhone manufacturing facility near Chennai. Reports
surfaced late last year that the Tata Group is planning to build one of
India's largest iPhone assembly plants in Tamil Nadu's Hosur.
Last
month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of three
semiconductor projects worth Rs 1.25 lakh crore in the country. The chip
fabrication facility at the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR) in
Gujarat is being set up by Tata Electronics Private Limited with an
investment of more than Rs 91,000 crore. The Tata Group is also setting
up an Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility in
Assam with a total investment of about Rs 27,000 crore.
