Foxconn's unit at Devanahalli nearly ready, commercial iPhone shipments expected by June: MB Patil
Bengaluru, May 17 (PTI): Karnataka Minister for Commerce & Industries M B Patil on Saturday said Taiwanese electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn's unit at the Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) of Devanahalli here is nearly ready for launch, with commercial iPhone shipments expected to begin as early as June.
Foxconn is the iPhone's contract manufacturer.
"This isn't just a manufacturing milestone - it marks a strategic shift. With rising geopolitical and tariff pressures, India is fast becoming Apple's preferred production hub," Patil said in a post on 'X'.
He said this development strengthens Karnataka's position in global manufacturing and opens the door to greater foreign investment - without compromising stakeholder interests.
The minister further said Apple CEO Tim Cook has confirmed that for the June quarter, a majority of iPhones sold in the US will be made in India.
"As a Kannadiga, this is a proud moment. From Mysuru to Cupertino, Karnataka is making global headlines," he added.
The company has acquired 300 acres of land in the ITIR Industrial Area, located in Doddaballapura and Devanahalli Taluk of Bengaluru Rural District.
In his 2025-26 Budget speech, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said that Foxconn company has started a mobile phone manufacturing plant in Devanahalli Industrial Area with a capital investment of Rs 21,911 crore.
"This company will be provided with an incentive of Rs 6,970 crore by Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM)," he had said.
ದೇವನಹಳ್ಳಿಯ ಫಾಕ್ಸ್’ಕಾನ್ ಘಟಕವು ಉದ್ಘಾಟನೆಗೆ ಸಿದ್ಧ!
— M B Patil (@MBPatil) May 17, 2025
ದೇವನಹಳ್ಳಿ ಐಟಿಐಆರ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಇರುವ ಫಾಕ್ಸ್ಕಾನ್ ಘಟಕವು ಉದ್ಘಾಟನೆಗೆ ಸಿದ್ಧವಾಗಿದೆ. ಜೂನ್ ತಿಂಗಳ ಆರಂಭದಲ್ಲಿ ವಾಣಿಜ್ಯ ಐಫೋನ್’ಗಳ ರವಾನೆ ಪ್ರಾರಂಭವಾಗುವ ನಿರೀಕ್ಷೆಯಿದೆ.
ಇದು ಕೇವಲ ಇನ್ನೊಂದು ಉತ್ಪಾದನಾ ಮೈಲಿಗಲ್ಲಲ್ಲ – ಇದು ಒಂದು ಕಾರ್ಯತಂತ್ರದ ಬದಲಾವಣೆಯ ಸಂಕೇತ.… pic.twitter.com/pSD5jfayaB
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Cong takes swipe at PM over India not being part of US-led 'Pax Silica' grouping
New Delh (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said it is perhaps not very surprising that India is not part of a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure silicon supply chain, given the "sharp downturn" in the Trump-Modi ties, and asserted that it would have been to "our advantage if we had been part of this group".
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news of India not being part of the group comes after the PM had enthusiastically posted on social media about a telephone call with his "once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC".
In a lengthy post on X, Ramesh said, "According to some news reports, the US has excluded India from a nine-nation initiative it has launched to reduce Chinese control on high-tech supply chains. The agreement is called Pax Silica, clearly as a counter to Pax Sinica. The nations included (for the moment at least) are the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia."
"Given the sharp downturn in the Trump-Modi ties since May 10th, 2025, it is perhaps not very surprising that India has not been included. Undoubtedly, it would have been to our advantage if we had been part of this group."
"This news comes a day after the PM had enthusiastically posted on his telephone call with his once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC," the Congress leader asserted.
The new US-led strategic initiative, rooted in deep cooperation with trusted allies, has been launched to build a secure and innovation-driven silicon supply chain.
According to the US State Department, the initiative called 'Pax Silica' aims to reduce coercive dependencies, protect the materials and capabilities foundational to artificial intelligence (AI), and ensure aligned nations can develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale.
The initiative includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. With the exception of India, all other QUAD countries -- Japan, Australia and the US -- are part of the new initiative.
New Delhi will host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 19-20, focusing on the principles of 'People, Planet, and Progress'. The summit, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump on Thursday discussed ways to sustain momentum in the bilateral economic partnership in a phone conversation amid signs of the two sides inching closer to firming up a much-awaited trade deal.
The phone call between the two leaders came on a day Indian and American negotiators concluded two-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement that is expected to provide relief to India from the Trump administration's whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
In a social media post, Modi had described the conversation as "warm and engaging".
"We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity," Modi had said without making any reference to trade ties.
