Apple's top manufacturing partner, Foxconn, has reportedly pulled over 300 Chinese engineers and technicians from its iPhone assembly facilities in India, according to Bloomberg. This sudden move, which took place over the past two months, could disrupt Apple's production schedule as preparations for the iPhone 17 ramp up.
These Chinese professionals, who played a vital role in setting up production lines and overseeing technical operations, were based at Foxconn’s plants in southern India. With their departure, only Taiwanese support staff remain on-site. The reason for the recall hasn’t been officially confirmed, but Bloomberg previously reported that Chinese authorities had verbally advised regulators and local governments to restrict technology transfers and equipment exports to India and Southeast Asia—a step seen as discouraging manufacturing shifts away from China.
Foxconn is currently building a new iPhone production facility in India as part of Apple’s strategy to diversify its supply chain and reduce reliance on China. While the overall product quality may remain intact, Bloomberg warned that assembly line efficiency could be impacted during the crucial ramp-up phase of iPhone 17 production.
