Apple Begins iPhone 18 Pro Series Production In India, Tata Share Set To Grow

Apple's production of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max is underway in India ahead of the devices' expected September launch, with local factories increasing output to meet demand from the US and European markets, according to a Moneycontrol report.

Foxconn will continue to handle the bulk of the production, particularly units meant for global markets, the report said. Tata Electronics is expected to take on a larger share of Pro-model manufacturing this year compared with the previous cycle, when it began with base models before moving to Pro variants later.

Tata's Expanding Role

Tata did not start manufacturing Pro models immediately after last year's launch, instead beginning with base and consumer variants before shifting to Pro models. This year, with the focus on Pro models from the outset, Tata is set to account for a comparatively larger share of Pro production, though Foxconn will still handle the majority of overall volumes.

Production is likely to be scaled up further in the coming weeks, calibrated to demand and pre-orders from India, the US and parts of Europe, the report said. Much of the India-made output is expected to be directed towards export markets, particularly the US, alongside meeting domestic demand.

Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint, reportedly said the US and Europe remain two major markets for Apple, where iPhone demand continues to be strong. He said India's share of iPhone exports is rising, and the ramp-up in production from India would provide additional cushion against tariff-related pressures.

India currently has five factories producing iPhones, spread across Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, including Tata's facility in Hosur and Foxconn's manufacturing hub near Bengaluru airport.

India's Share In Global Production Set To Rise

India is on track to account for 26% of global iPhone production in 2026, up from 6% four years ago, according to Counterpoint Research.

Pathak said Tata Electronics has had an impressive run, delivering one of the fastest ramp-ups among electronics manufacturing services suppliers. He said breaking into one of the world's most robust supply chains was a steep learning curve, which Tata navigated through strategic moves, including taking over the operations of Wistron and Pegatron.

Pathak added that Tata's entry into the iPhone 17 Pro lineup last year, along with manufacturing new models in India soon after their global announcement, reflected the company's growing capabilities. He said Tata is expected to continue seeing double-digit growth in production volumes as India's manufacturing share rises.

Tata currently accounts for about a third of iPhone manufacturing in India and is gaining ground faster in terms of value and export orders, the report said.

Smartphone exports from India, driven largely by iPhones, touched a record $9.84 billion in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, up 23.4% from a year earlier, with the US remaining the largest export destination. Foxconn's exports rose sharply during this period on the back of iPhone shipments.

Apple's first foldable phone, expected to be called the iPhone Ultra, is unlikely to be manufactured in India in its initial production cycle, according to sources cited in the report. This would differ from Apple's approach with the Apple Air, which the company began manufacturing in India in the same year as its launch.

The report said the decision is understood to be driven by the technical expertise required for the new form factor rather than uncertainty over demand. Apple is expected to introduce the foldable iPhone alongside its next-generation iPhone 18 Pro models, with the standard iPhone 18 reportedly slated for a March 2027 launch.