Apple could broaden its manufacturing operations in India beyond iPhones, potentially adding products such as MacBooks and iPads to its local production portfolio. Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw indicated that the possibility exists while discussing the government’s newly launched Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS).
Asked whether Apple could manufacture MacBooks and iPads in India, Vaishnaw responded, “yes.” The comments come as the Centre seeks to transform India into a more comprehensive electronics manufacturing hub, with greater emphasis on domestic supply chains, product design, research and development and intellectual property.
The Rs 62,500-crore MPMS will operate for five years from FY2026-27 through FY2030-31. While its primary focus remains mobile-phone manufacturing and Indian smartphone brands, the government’s broader policy direction signals an ambition to strengthen India’s position across the electronics value chain.
Apple’s India Manufacturing Footprint Could Get Bigger
Apple has significantly expanded its manufacturing presence in India over the past decade, particularly through iPhone production. Vaishnaw’s comments indicate that the country’s role could potentially extend to other Apple devices in the future.
The government is attempting to move away from an assembly-centric model by encouraging companies to establish deeper local capabilities. This includes domestic sourcing, design expertise, technology development and research facilities.
For Apple, any expansion into products such as MacBooks and iPads would represent a broader manufacturing footprint in one of the world’s fastest-growing electronics markets.
New Scheme Targets Indian Brands And Mobile Manufacturing
The MPMS has been designed around two major areas: incentives for mobile-phone production and support for Indian-owned mobile brands. The five-year programme aims to improve the competitiveness of domestic manufacturers while increasing value addition and strengthening component supply chains.
Vaishnaw also highlighted the importance of developing original product designs in India. The government wants Indian companies to build products that can compete internationally rather than limiting their role to manufacturing devices designed elsewhere.
He said three potential Indian smartphone players could emerge within the next 10-14 months. “At this point of time, three potential players could emerge,” Vaishnaw said, adding that the government sees potential for Indian brands to emerge in the coming months.
Government Puts Design And R&D At The Centre Of Policy
A key feature of the MPMS is its focus on research, development and intellectual property. Under the scheme, an eligible Indian brand must be incorporated in India, own its intellectual property and trademarks in the country, have management control with Indian citizens and maintain more than 51 per cent Indian citizen shareholding.
Such companies must also have domestic research and design capabilities.
The government plans to assess the intellectual property and quality of products developed by potential Indian manufacturers before providing support. MeitY Secretary S Krishnan said the scheme includes a dedicated incentive for research capabilities.
“Under the scheme, the government has come up with a plan to build a domestic mobile phone brand and it is also providing a 3 per cent incentive on research and development programs of companies,” Krishnan said earlier.
Indian brands can receive a base incentive of 5 per cent, along with an additional incentive of up to 1.5 per cent for domestic sourcing and another 3 per cent for eligible Indian design and R&D.
Component Localisation Gets Additional Push
The scheme also seeks to increase the use of locally produced components in mobile-phone manufacturing. Companies can qualify for an additional incentive of up to 1.5 per cent for sourcing components domestically.
The eligible categories include display modules, camera modules, enclosures, batteries and USB cables. To qualify, these components need to meet the specified localisation threshold, including localisation for at least 25 per cent of mobile-phone units sold during a financial year.
The approach marks a shift from simply increasing the number of devices assembled in India to creating a broader domestic electronics ecosystem.
India’s Electronics Sector Has Expanded Rapidly
The government’s push comes after substantial growth in India’s electronics industry. According to data presented at the scheme’s launch, electronics production has increased sevenfold since FY2014-15, while electronics exports have risen 11 times.
Mobile-phone production has grown 33-fold and exports have jumped 166-fold during the period. India is now the world’s second-largest mobile-phone manufacturer by volume, while 99.2 per cent of mobile phones used domestically are manufactured within the country.
The previous production-linked incentive programme also surpassed several targets. Investment under PLI 1.0 reached Rs 20,587 crore compared with the original Rs 7,000-crore target. Cumulative production stood at Rs 11.62 lakh crore, equivalent to 142 per cent of the target, while exports reached Rs 6.43 lakh crore, or 132 per cent of the target.
The government expects the latest scheme to take the sector to another level. Over the five-year MPMS period, it is targeting cumulative mobile-phone production of around Rs 39 lakh crore and exports of approximately Rs 15 lakh crore.
The programme is also expected to create around 60,000 direct jobs in mobile manufacturing and related industries.
