Apple’s largest iPhone manufacturer, Foxconn, has recalled more than 300 Chinese engineers and technicians from its Indian production facilities, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. The move is expected to create operational hurdles as Apple ramps up preparations for iPhone 17 manufacturing. The sudden withdrawal of Chinese staff—critical to production line setup and technical oversight—comes amid rising geopolitical tensions.
More than 300 Chinese workers have left Foxconn’s Indian iPhone assembly plants over the past two months, the global news agency reported. The mass departure affects facilities in southern India and leaves only Taiwanese support personnel onsite. It remains unclear why the Chinese workers were recalled. However, earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that “officials in Beijing verbally encouraged regulatory agencies and local governments to curb technology transfers and equipment exports to India and Southeast Asia,” in a move seen as discouraging companies from shifting manufacturing out of China.
Foxconn is currently constructing a new iPhone assembly plant in the region, part of Apple’s broader strategy to reduce its manufacturing dependence on China. While the quality of output may not be affected, Bloomberg notes that “assembly line efficiency could suffer during the critical ramp-up period for next-generation iPhone production.”
Beijing’s strategy is said to extend beyond restricting the movement of personnel. It also includes limiting the export of specialised equipment and technical expertise vital for high-end electronics manufacturing. According to Bloomberg, “China’s actions come as countries like India and Vietnam aggressively court global technology companies seeking to diversify their supply chains away from Chinese dependence.”
Apple CEO Tim Cook has previously underscored the importance of Chinese technical talent in the iPhone supply chain. “The irreplaceable expertise of Chinese assembly workers,” he said, is not just about cost advantages but “fundamental to maintaining production standards.”
India now accounts for roughly 20% of global iPhone production—an impressive shift considering large-scale manufacturing began there only four years ago. Apple had been aiming to produce most US-bound iPhones in India by late 2026. The current talent vacuum, however, may push that timeline further out.
