Foxconn’s Bengaluru iPhone Plant Sets Record With Rapid Hiring, Emerges as Major Women-Led Manufacturing Hub

Foxconn has carried out the fastest workforce expansion ever recorded at a single factory in India, hiring close to 30,000 workers in just eight to nine months at its new iPhone assembly plant in Devanahalli, near Bengaluru, according to a report by The Economic Times. The development underscores India’s growing role in Apple’s global manufacturing strategy and highlights a sharp rise in large-scale, women-led industrial employment.

A Workforce Dominated by First-Time Women Employees

The 300-acre facility is overwhelmingly staffed by women, who account for around 80% of the workforce, the report said. Most employees are between 19 and 24 years old and are entering formal employment for the first time, marking a significant shift in participation of young women in India’s manufacturing sector.

Industry observers say that, once fully operational, the Devanahalli plant could become the largest single-site employer of women in India across both government and private sectors.

From Trial Runs to Flagship iPhone Production

Foxconn began trial production in April–May this year, initially assembling iPhone 16 models. The facility has since ramped up to manufacturing Apple’s latest iPhone 17 Pro Max, indicating rapid operational maturity.

More than 80% of the phones assembled at the plant are being exported, reinforcing India’s growing importance as a global electronics export hub. Sources tracking the project told ET that employment could rise to around 50,000 workers by next year as the factory reaches peak capacity.

Infrastructure Built Around Workers

To support the expanding workforce, Foxconn has constructed six large dormitories, several of which are already in use, with more housing under development. The company plans to transform the site into a self-contained township, featuring residential facilities, healthcare services, schools and recreational infrastructure within the campus.

Workers receive free accommodation and subsidised meals, and earn an average monthly salary of about Rs 18,000, among the highest wages for women in blue-collar manufacturing roles, according to industry estimates cited in the report.

Scale of Investment and Expansion Plans

Foxconn is investing approximately Rs 20,000 crore in the Devanahalli project. With a production floor area of nearly 250,000 square feet, the facility is among the largest manufacturing plants in the country.

“This is massive by any standard,” a person familiar with the project told ET. “It’s not just a factory—it’s being built at a scale that positions it as a cornerstone of India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem.”

The Bengaluru plant is expected to overtake Foxconn’s Tamil Nadu iPhone facility, which currently employs about 41,000 workers. At present, the new site operates around four iPhone assembly lines, but plans are in place to scale this up to nearly a dozen lines over time.

Political Spotlight on Manufacturing Push

The rapid hiring has also drawn political attention. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw responded to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s social media post highlighting Foxconn’s workforce expansion, thanking him for recognising the impact of the government’s Make in India initiative.

In a post on X, Vaishnaw said India is transitioning into a “producer economy,” crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for attracting large-scale manufacturing investments and generating employment, particularly for women.

A Signal of India’s Manufacturing Momentum

Foxconn’s Devanahalli plant is increasingly seen as a symbol of India’s ambitions to become a global electronics manufacturing hub. Its speed of execution, export orientation and women-centric workforce model reflect broader shifts underway in the country’s industrial landscape—where scale, skill development and global integration are becoming central to economic growth.