Foxconn in India Moves Chinese Staff Back Home, May Affect iPhone 17 Production
Apple’s plans to grow its business in India have hit a sudden hurdle. Hundreds of Chinese staff have been asked to leave Foxconn in India. Foxconn is Apple’s main iPhone maker.
Back in May 2025, Foxconn announced a big $1.5 billion investment in India. Around the same time, India’s government approved a new semiconductor plant. But while these big moves were happening, Foxconn started sending Chinese workers back home.
According to Bloomberg, Foxconn has been asking Chinese workers to return for the past two months. So far, more than 300 workers have left India. A source says most of the remaining foreign staff are from Taiwan.
Foxconn Moves Chinese Staff Back Home, May Affect iPhone 17 Production
Neither Foxconn nor Apple has shared any details about this situation. It’s not clear why Foxconn is doing this. We don’t know if the workers were fired or just moved to other sites in China.
This change comes as China is trying to stop companies from shifting work away from the country. Reports say Chinese officials have been urging local governments to limit exports of certain tools or technology to India and Southeast Asia.
China has also made it harder for skilled workers to leave the country. It’s unclear how much this rule is affecting workers who had already moved abroad.
Chinese engineers have played a big part in helping Foxconn grow its factories in India. They have also trained local workers and managers. Since most production lines are now up and running, people say that quality should not drop. But one source said sending Chinese workers back could slow down work on the factory floor.
If production slows, Foxconn may not make as many iPhones in India as planned. This is a big deal as the company is about to start mass production of the new iPhone 17 series.
See Also: Why India Can’t Replace China for Apple, At Least Not Anytime Soon
With China blocking more exports and experts, Apple’s plan to expand in India faces new delays. In the short term, this could mean fewer iPhones made in India. In the long term, it highlights why Apple still cannot easily move iPhone production to the US.
The situation illustrates the challenges faced by large tech firms in reducing their reliance on China. Apple and Foxconn now face fresh challenges as they try to grow their base in India and build up local skills and production.
