Our Bureau
New Delhi
Apple could expand its manufacturing operations in India beyond iPhones, while the government is working with three potential Indian smartphone companies that could emerge as domestic brands within the next 10-14 months, Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Friday.
The comments come as the Centre has notified the ₹62,500-crore Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS), aimed at strengthening India’s mobile-phone manufacturing ecosystem, increasing domestic value addition and encouraging the development of Indian-owned smartphone brands.
Responding to a question on whether Apple could manufacture products beyond iPhones in India, Vaishnaw said “yes”, signalling a possible expansion of the company’s manufacturing footprint into other hardware categories. The minister did not specify which products could be included, although reports have cited products such as MacBooks and iPads as possible areas of expansion.
At the same time, the government is seeking to create a stronger domestic smartphone ecosystem. Three Indian companies have been asked to develop best-in-segment designs and identify the categories in which they can compete, including economy, premium and super-premium segments. The companies have indicated a preference for the high-volume segment, Vaishnaw said.
However, government support will depend on an assessment of the companies’ intellectual property and design capabilities. The minister said he expects three potential Indian smartphone players to emerge within 10-14 months.
The MPMS has two broad segments: incentives for mobile-phone manufacturing and support for Indian mobile-phone brands. Under the scheme, eligible manufacturers must have recorded a minimum turnover of ₹10,000 crore in FY26, while electronics manufacturing services companies require a minimum turnover of ₹1,000 crore. Indian brands will also receive a one-year gestation period to establish operations before claiming incentives.
The government’s latest push signals an effort to move India beyond being primarily an electronics assembly base towards deeper localisation, domestic design and globally competitive Indian smartphone brands.