India’s iPhone Boom: How Trump’s Vision for America Is Thriving in India
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In the quiet corner of Devanahalli, Karnataka, where millet fields and rocky landscapes once defined the horizon, a futuristic iPhone factory has landed like a spaceship from another world. Foxconn, the Taiwanese giant that assembles most of Apple’s iPhones, is transforming this rural patch into a buzzing hub of innovation and opportunity. With a $2.5 billion investment, this sprawling 300-acre campus is a bold statement of India’s growing role in global manufacturing—a vision President Donald Trump has been pushing for American soil. But as India churns out iPhones and jobs at a dizzying pace, it’s also rewriting its own economic story, sparking hope, ambition, and a few growing pains. From local villagers turned factory workers to a new wave of engineers, here’s how India is making Trump’s “Made in America” dream a reality—halfway across the globe.
A Factory Rising from the Dust
The Foxconn plant in Devanahalli is a sight to behold. Sleek buildings gleam under the Karnataka sun, with cranes still piecing together high-rise dormitories for thousands of workers, mostly women. Already, 8,000 people are hard at work across two factory floors, assembling iPhones that meet 18% of global demand, according to Counterpoint Research. By the end of 2025, when the plant is fully operational, that number could hit 25-30%, with a workforce swelling to 40,000. This isn’t just a factory; it’s a game-changer for a region once known for farming. The red dust of Devanahalli is giving way to a supply chain frenzy, with Indian and international firms—Taiwanese, South Korean, American—setting up shop to provide everything from tiny screws to assembly-line gear.
The ripple effects are electric. Local businesses are cashing in, supplying Foxconn with parts, equipment, and even worker recruitment services. A plastic parts manufacturer, previously focused on bank cash machines, is now pitching to Foxconn. A yarn-spinning machinery foundry is eyeing a pivot to produce metal components for iPhones. Bengaluru, a city of 8 million that traded its manufacturing roots for call centers and tech design, is rediscovering its industrial mojo. Wages around the plant are spiking 10-15%, and landowners are striking deals as the area transforms into a mini Silicon Valley of hardware.
Why India? The Perfect Storm of Opportunity
India’s rise as an iPhone powerhouse didn’t happen overnight. It started with a post-COVID push to reduce reliance on China, where Apple’s production was heavily concentrated. When Trump’s reelection amplified calls for “Made in America,” Apple doubled down on India, a bet that began in 2020 when Foxconn started iPhone assembly here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” initiative, backed by $26 billion in subsidies since 2020, has lured giants like Apple with promises of tax breaks and infrastructure. Unlike the U.S., where manufacturing jobs compete with a tight labor market, India’s 1.4 billion-strong population is hungry for work. With nearly half its workforce still tied to agriculture, India needs 10 million new jobs annually to keep pace—a challenge Foxconn’s factory is helping meet.
The numbers tell the story. By early 2025, India was producing 18% of the world’s iPhones, a feat achieved in just two years. The Devanahalli plant, the largest of several Apple facilities in India, is the crown jewel. Local firms are stepping up, supplying casings, specialized glass, and paints, as the government mandates Apple to source 30% of its product value locally by 2028. Companies like Indo-MIM, an Indian metal-injection molding firm, are thriving, producing brackets for Foxconn while benefiting from a growing cluster of specialty suppliers. “You don’t want to have to make everything yourself,” says Krishna Chivukula, Indo-MIM’s CEO, highlighting how this ecosystem lets firms focus on their strengths.
The Human Engine: India’s Workforce Shines
At the heart of this boom are people like Sneha, a Devanahalli villager with a master’s in mathematics who now works the day shift at Foxconn. Sporting a corporate lanyard, she walks home for lunch, a symbol of how the factory is blending global ambition with local roots. Nearby, Doddagollahalli village remains a farming enclave, but change is afoot. Some residents rent rooms to Foxconn workers; others are selling land to cash in on the industrial wave. The workforce is a mix of local talent and newcomers, including engineers who commute hours or relocate hundreds of miles. Some rise at 3:30 a.m. to make the 8 a.m. shift, drawn by opportunity in a region teeming with graduates.
India’s edge lies in its sheer scale. Karnataka alone, with a population half the size of Vietnam, produces 700 job applications annually from local tech schools, says Josh Foulger, who heads Zetwerk’s electronics division, a Foxconn competitor. “The people here are very hungry,” says Chivukula of Indo-MIM, noting the millions of engineers eager for opportunity. Yet, India’s still learning the ropes—East Asian experts are being flown in to share expertise honed over 15 years in China. Companies like Centum, an Indian contract manufacturer, are customizing testing equipment for Foxconn, proving India’s ready to play ball on the global stage.
The Catch: Challenges and Critics
Not everyone’s sold on India’s iPhone success. Critics call the final assembly of iPhones “screwdriver work,” arguing that high-value components like chips and camera modules are still imported, limiting India’s share of the economic pie. But the government’s subsidies are nudging Apple to source more locally, and firms like Indo-MIM are proving India can deliver precision parts. Infrastructure is another hurdle—rural roads and power grids strain under the demands of a high-tech factory. And while wages are rising, so are expectations, with workers facing long commutes and intense schedules.
Then there’s the contrast with Trump’s vision. The U.S. lacks India’s pipeline of young, qualified workers willing to fill factory floors. American towns, hollowed out by decades of offshoring, can’t match the scale and hunger of a place like Devanahalli. As Foulger puts it, “Manufacturing does a very democratic job” of creating opportunities, but India’s population and ambition give it an edge the U.S. struggles to replicate.
A New Chapter for India’s Heartland
The Foxconn plant is more than a factory—it’s a catalyst. Bengaluru, once India’s aerospace hub, is reclaiming its manufacturing soul, with Devanahalli as the epicenter. The supply chain growing around Foxconn mirrors the bustling ecosystems of China’s factory towns, but with an Indian twist: a blend of global expertise and local grit. For villagers like Sneha, it’s a chance to rewrite their future. For India, it’s a step toward technological autonomy and economic power, echoing the dreams of leaders from Nehru to Modi.
As the Devanahalli plant hums to life, producing iPhones for the world, it’s a reminder of what’s possible when opportunity meets ambition. Trump may want this for America, but India’s proving it’s ready to lead the charge, one iPhone at a time.
Disclaimer: This blog is based on publicly reported information and accounts from India as of June 2025.
Source: Compiled from news reports, industry analyses, and statements from local stakeholders.
