Wistron (
www.wistron.com), the Taiwanese manufacturing partner of Apple Inc, is setting up an assembly plant in Bengaluru, India, to focus solely on assembling iPhones.
A spokesman for the government of the Indian state of Karnataka said on 2 February: “We welcome Apple’s proposal to begin initial manufacturing operations in our state capital. Apple’s intentions to manufacture in Bengaluru will foster a cutting-edge technology eco-system and supply-chain development in the state, which are critical for India to compete globally.”
Joyce Chou, a spokesman for Wistron, said the Bengaluru plant is expected to begin producing smartphones by the summer. Apple representatives met federal and state government officials in India at the start of this month, to lobby for tax and sourcing concessions.
Apple described its discussions with Indian officials as “open and constructive”.
Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that India will consider Apple’s request for incentives with an “open mind”.