MacBooks, iPads to be made in India? Ashwini Vaishnaw hints at Apple’s wider manufacturing plans beyond iPhones
Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday indicated that Apple could broaden its manufacturing operations in India beyond iPhones, potentially adding products such as MacBooks and iPads.
Speaking at the launch of the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS), Vaishnaw was asked whether Apple could begin producing MacBooks and iPads in the country. He replied, “yes”, according to NDTV.
His remarks come as the government rolls out the ₹62,500-crore scheme with a focus on taking India’s electronics sector beyond large-scale assembly by encouraging greater domestic value addition, product design and research and development.
Vaishnaw said strengthening product-design capabilities in India would be crucial, especially as the government looks to foster homegrown smartphone brands with the potential to compete in international markets.
He said three Indian companies have been identified as potential smartphone players that could emerge over the next 10 to 14 months. According to the minister, these firms have been tasked with creating competitive designs tailored to the market segments they plan to enter.
Vaishnaw said the government sees scope for three Indian smartphone companies to emerge as potential players in the market in the near term.
“At this point of time, three potential players could emerge,” Vaishnaw said, adding that the government expects Indian brands to make their presence felt over the coming months, the NDTV report noted.
He said the government’s objective goes beyond encouraging domestic firms to assemble smartphones in India. The broader focus is reportedly to help them build their own intellectual property, strengthen product-design expertise and develop indigenous technological capabilities.
Vaishnaw asserted the government would assess the intellectual property and quality of products and designs created by prospective Indian brands before deciding on financial or other support under the scheme.
Which two key areas does the MPMS focus on?
The MPMS will run for five years, from FY2026-27 through FY2030-31, and focuses on two key areas: promoting mobile-phone manufacturing and supporting Indian-owned mobile brands.
The scheme is designed to make Indian manufacturers more competitive globally, strengthen the domestic component and supply ecosystem, increase value addition within the country and encourage the growth of homegrown smartphone brands.
Under the scheme’s guidelines, an Indian brand must be registered in India, own its intellectual property and trademark within the country, and be managed by Indian citizens. It must also have more than 51% ownership by Indian citizens and maintain its own research, development and design operations in India.
MeitY Secretary reacts
Meanwhile, MeitY Secretary S Krishnan stated the scheme includes a dedicated incentive to encourage Indian manufacturers to strengthen their research and development capabilities. Officials said companies would need to meet specified R&D benchmarks to qualify for the benefit.
Under the scheme, eligible Indian brands can receive an additional 3% incentive on sales for domestic design and R&D, in addition to the 5% base incentive and a further incentive of up to 1.5% for sourcing components domestically.
The R&D component marks a significant shift from a policy focused primarily on manufacturing. Under the scheme, Indian brands will be eligible for a base incentive of 5%, with an additional incentive of up to 1.5% for sourcing key components domestically and another 3% for developing products through Indian design and R&D capabilities.
