Apple Partners with Five Anchor Vendors as India Approves ₹41,863 Crore ECMS Projects

Apple Partners with Five Anchor Vendors as India Approves ₹41,863 Crore ECMS Projects

Apple has emerged as a key driver of India’s electronics manufacturing expansion, partnering with five major companies as anchor vendors under the government’s Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS). The move follows the approval of ₹41,863 crore in investments by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) for 22 companies under the scheme’s third tranche, according to a report by Business Standard.

Anchor Vendors Lead Majority of ECMS Investment

The five Apple-linked anchor vendors will collectively invest around ₹30,537 crore, accounting for nearly 73% of the total approved investment. The group includes a combination of large Indian conglomerates and global suppliers, strengthening India’s efforts to build a robust domestic electronics components ecosystem.

The ECMS provides production-linked incentives (PLI) to promote local manufacturing of electronic components—an area where India has historically depended on imports despite becoming a major smartphone assembly hub.

Employment and Supply Chain Impact

According to official estimates cited in the report, these anchor investments are expected to create over 27,600 direct jobs, along with significant indirect employment across logistics, tooling, services, and allied sectors.

Although the five companies are currently key suppliers to Apple, their planned manufacturing capacities will also support other global and domestic electronics manufacturers, helping to diversify and strengthen India’s supplier base.

Approved Companies Under ECMS

Among the approved anchor vendors are three prominent Indian companies:

• Tata Electronics

• Motherson Electronic Components

• Hindalco Industries

They are joined by two global firms:

• Yuzhan Technology, part of the Foxconn group and the largest investor in this tranche

• ATL Battery Technology India Ltd, a subsidiary of Japan’s TDK Group

Apple’s Focus on iPhone Enclosures and Components

A key area of focus for Apple is the local manufacturing of iPhone enclosures, where it aims to establish end-to-end production capacity in India. The strategy is designed to support domestic requirements, boost exports, and position India as a global supply hub, including for shipments to China.

Currently, only a limited share of enclosure requirements for iPhones assembled in India is sourced locally, primarily from Tata Electronics.

More Partnerships Expected

Apple is also exploring partnerships for specialised machinery and smartphone sub-assemblies. Additional vendor tie-ups are expected as MeitY evaluates and clears further applications under future phases of the ECMS.

Strengthening India’s Electronics Manufacturing Ecosystem

Apple’s growing supplier network under ECMS highlights India’s shift from assembly-led manufacturing toward component-level value addition. The initiative is expected to enhance supply chain resilience, job creation, and export competitiveness, reinforcing India’s role in the global electronics manufacturing landscape.