Bad news for Apple

Foxconn has suddenly withdrawn hundreds of Chinese engineers from India, hindering Apple's plans to expand iPhone production in the South Asian country.

Foxconn suddenly withdraws engineers from iPhone factory in India. Photo: Bloomberg .

Foxconn Technology Group, Apple’s largest iPhone assembler, has asked hundreds of Chinese engineers and technicians to return home from its factories in southern India, a move that could affect Apple’s plans to expand production in the South Asian country.

According to Bloomberg , more than 300 Chinese employees have left Foxconn factories in India in the past two months. These people previously played an important role in providing technical support, training local workers and operating iPhone assembly lines. Meanwhile, Taiwanese (China) personnel continue to work at these facilities.

Foxconn and Apple both declined to comment on the reasons behind the decision to withdraw Chinese engineers. However, observers said the move comes amid China’s tightening of policies on transferring technology and human resources abroad. The Chinese government is said to be looking to stem the trend of companies shifting production to India and some Southeast Asian countries.

Foxconn still maintains the bulk of its iPhone assembly in China, but has significantly expanded its production in India in recent years. The country now accounts for about 15–20% of global iPhone production. Apple also aims to produce the majority of iPhones destined for the US market in India by 2026.

The withdrawal of Chinese personnel comes at a time when Foxconn is preparing to ramp up production of the new generation of iPhones at a factory in Tamil Nadu state. This project is part of Apple's plan to expand its production scale to reduce its dependence on China, especially in the context of US-China trade tensions that show no signs of cooling down.

Although Foxconn has trained a local workforce in India, experts say the lack of experienced technical personnel could affect production efficiency, especially in the initial stages of operating the new line.

Against this backdrop, Foxconn’s decision shows that shifting production away from China will not be straightforward. Apple and its partners will need to continue investing heavily in training local workers, developing infrastructure, and adapting to a rapidly changing geopolitical environment.

Source: https://znews.vn/apple-gap-kho-tai-an-do-post1565514.html