Foxconn chairman Young Liu arrives in Bengaluru, to inspect 300-acre iPhone assembly plant tomorrow

Foxconn Technology Group chairman Young Liu arrived in Bengaluru on Friday and is scheduled on Saturday to visit a facility that the Taiwanese contract manufacturer is building near the Kempegowda International Airport to assemble Apple’s iPhone.

This is the high-profile CEO's first visit to Bengaluru after Foxconn (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd) signed a memorandum of understanding with the state government last year. The government had, in March last year, cleared Foxconn's proposal to invest $1 billion to set up the iPhone factory. The world's largest electronics manufacturer later increased the investment plan by an additional $1.7 billion.

Industries minister MB Patil and electronics and IT/BT minister Priyank Kharge received Liu at the airport Friday.


Chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy CM DK Shivakumar later hosted a dinner for Liu.


During his talks with Liu, Siddaramaiah noted the “substantial employment opportunities” that the project would create in the state and said it would not only boost the local economy but also empower the state's workforce and enhance the overall prosperity of the region. "We assure you of our complete support and commitment to ensure Foxconn gets all the assistance required in this process," Siddaramaiah said, according to the CM’s office.

Foxconn is building the facility to assemble 20 million smartphones annually, on a 300-acre plot spread across the Doddagollahalli and Chapparadahalli villages in Devanahalli taluk.

There had been issues over the acquisition of land for the plant due to protests from local landowners. All those have been sorted out and the company is expected to commence production either this year or early next year. It is likely to soon commence production-related preparatory activities, people aware of the matter said.

Foxconn is expected to commission the iPhone assembly plant only when Apple gives the go-ahead after an inspection by its team. The plant will be Foxconn's largest such unit in India, when commissioned.


Currently, the "construction work is progressing well in this project", the CM's office said in a statement.

The commerce and industries department, in collaboration with other relevant departments, is actively working on securing all necessary licence approvals for the project, the CM's office said. Additionally, power and water supply specific to the project are being planned and implemented, it said.

Additionally, Foxconn is setting up a manufacturing and assembly facility for mechanical components in electric vehicle applications (Project Cheetah). The company has leased private land in the Bengaluru district for this project, the CM's office said.

"Foxconn’s forthcoming investments in the state are poised to significantly contribute to Karnataka’s growth trajectory. I look forward to productive discussions," the industries minister posted on X.

Its mobile manufacturing unit is expected to provide employment to 50,000 people in the first phase, and double that number within the state in the next ten years.

Manufacturing in India is part of the company’s 'China plus one' strategy to diversify production away from China. Foxconn is one of the primary suppliers of Apple iPhone components, apart from Pegatron and Tata Electronics in India.