Tata Group Joins Wistron in Pursuit of Pegatron’s iPhone Plant in India, According to Report
New Delhi, April 8 (IANS) – Tata Group, which acquired Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Wistron’s India operations for $125 million in October last year, is now reportedly eyeing to acquire Pegatron’s iPhone manufacturing facility near Chennai as Apple ramps up its presence in the country. According to a Reuters report, Tata may hold a 65 per cent stake in a joint venture to operate the Pegatron plant, with talks in an advanced stage. The company plans to operate the JV via its Tata Electronics unit.
Pegatron’s India plant currently has nearly 10,000 employees and manufactures iPhone 13 and 14 devices. The acquisition of the facility would further strengthen Tata’s foothold in the electronics manufacturing sector in India. Reports suggest that the Tata Group is working towards building one of India’s largest iPhone assembly plants in Tamil Nadu’s Hosur, expected to have around 20 assembly lines and employ 50,000 workers within two years, with an operational timeline of 12 to 18 months.
Tata Group already operates an iPhone manufacturing plant in Karnataka, which was acquired from Wistron. Apple’s aim to manufacture over 50 million iPhones annually in India is part of its strategy to diversify production away from China. The shift is also supported by initiatives like the government’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for smartphone production, which enables Indian companies to compete with global electronics makers based in China. Industry experts view India as a potential hub for production due to its sizable internal market and skilled labor force.
Pegatron, Tata Group, or Apple have not made any official comments on the potential acquisition. However, the move signifies Tata Group’s active participation in the growing electronics manufacturing landscape in India. Apple’s increasing focus on local production also aligns with the government’s push for more domestic manufacturing under the ‘Make in India’ initiative. Stay tuned for further developments regarding the Tata-Pegatron deal.
–IANS na/vd
