Foxconn To Start Manufacturing Apple AirPods In Hyderabad For Export

Apple is expanding its manufacturing footprint in India, with its contract manufacturer Foxconn set to begin production of AirPods at its Hyderabad facility. According to sources, as quoted by news agency PTI, the wireless earphones production will initially cater exclusively to export markets.

This marks AirPods as the second major Apple product to be manufactured in India, following the iPhone models.

The tech giant has already established iPhone assembly operations in India, with all models in the latest iPhone 16 lineup -- including the recently announced iPhone 16e -- being produced in the country.

This is also a milestone in Apple's strategy to diversify its manufacturing outside of China. 

"Production of Airpods is going to start in India at Foxconn's Hyderabad facility. It will begin from April but it will be only for exports as of now," an industry source was quoted as saying by PTI.

The expansion comes amid growing trade tensions between the US and China, prompting Apple to reduce its manufacturing dependency on Chinese facilities. 

The timing is particularly notable given speculation about potential production adjustments following reciprocal tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump and Apple's recent $500 billion investment commitment in the US.

Foxconn had previously approved a $400 million investment for its Hyderabad plant in 2023 specifically for AirPods production. The Taiwan-based manufacturer joins Pegatron and Tata Electronics as key Apple suppliers operating in India.

Apple currently dominates the global True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earphones market, holding a 23.1 per cent market share according to Canalys. This represents nearly triple the market presence of its closest competitor, Samsung, which holds an 8.5 per cent share.