Apple's newest Pro iPhones are reportedly entering the global supply chain from India on launch day for the first time. The Economic Times reports that factories operated by Foxconn and Tata Electronics worked around the clock to produce iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max units ahead of their September 18 sales debut.
Several charter flights, most of them departing from Chennai, carried the devices to the US and other markets, according to people familiar with the operation who spoke to ET. The publication said one Foxconn factory and one Tata Electronics factory were making the phones, with more assembly lines possible if global demand warrants the expansion.
Pro production arrives on day one
India-made iPhones have reached launch-day shelves before, but not Apple's premium Pro line. The standard iPhone 17 shipped from India when sales began in 2025, while its Pro and Pro Max counterparts followed later. This time, the India-made Pro models are expected to sit alongside China-assembled devices from the start.
That distinction makes this a manufacturing milestone, not an announcement that Apple has replaced China across its supply chain. ET's reporting describes India as an additional launch-day production base for two flagship models.
Most of the Indian output is headed abroad
Experts cited by ET estimated that 80% to 90% of the Pro models assembled in India will be exported. They said the premium models account for about 15% of iPhones sold domestically, leaving most of the local production available for overseas markets.
India Today, citing ET's shipment reporting, also quoted Counterpoint Research analyst Prachir Singh estimating that India will produce 26% of all iPhones shipped in 2026. That estimate offers scale for Apple's broader manufacturing shift, but it is a forecast rather than a final production figure.
Apple, Foxconn and Tata Electronics did not respond to ET's questions before its report was published.
