Foxconn starts work on building $500 million AirPods plant in India

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Foxconn is making an investment of $500 million into new plants in India, a state IT minister tweeted, which will most likely be used in the production of AirPods for Apple.

A Foxconn facility
A Foxconn facility


In March, Foxconn was reported to have secured an order for AirPods from Apple, and planned to make them in India in a new $200 million factory. In a tweet from an official in India, the ground has been broken on a new plant.

The tweet by K.T. Rama Rao, the IT minister for the Indian state of Telangana, announces the groundbreaking of the first of Foxconn's plants, located in Kongar Kalaan.

Rao continues by stating it will be a $500 million investment, up from the original $200 million leaked by sources two months prior, and will create approximately 25,000 jobs in its first phase.

While Foxconn has yet to officially comment on the minister's announcement, it was previously thought that the assembly partner was hesitant about taking an AirPods order. Company officials were apparently concerned about the low profit margin on AirPods compared to other items Foxconn assembles for Apple.

Demonstrating the "Telangana Speed", I am happy to announce the groundbreaking of first of Foxconn's plants in Telangana at Kongar Kalaan today

With an investment of over $500M it shall create 25,000 direct jobs in first Phase #Telangana #Foxconn pic.twitter.com/PHThJWxsfT

-- KTR (@KTRBRS)


Sources in the earlier report indicated that the decision to accept the order was intended to "reinforce engagement" with Apple.

The breaking of new ground is the latest move by Foxconn in India. On May 9, it was reported that Foxconn had bought a 13 million-square-foot parcel of land in Devanahalli, near the tech hub of Bengaluru for approximately $37 million.

Previously, it was reportedly planning to invest $700 million on a new plant in Bengaluru to improve iPhone part production. A facility that could create around 100,000 jobs.

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 2
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,232member
    But AirPods are so tiny!
  • Reply 2 of 2
    Wouldn't be the first time a government official overstated the cost of something to make it sound more impressive.

    Or maybe it's the rare case of the true facts coming to light. Maybe Foxconn invested $200m and the Indian government ponied up additional funds.
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