Wistron Likely to Set Up Laptop, EV Parts Factory in Karnataka

Wistron has announced a non-binding MoU with the Government of Karnataka to set up a Rs. 1,500 Crore ($180.7 million) plant to produce laptops and EV parts, as per reports in the financial press. The facility could be operational by January 2026, as per plans, and would produce laptops for the local market as well as exports. This will be in line with the Government of India’s incentives to boost the technology manufacturing sector in the country. Although the proposed plant will be highly automated, around 3,000 jobs will also be created, as per Reuters. 

Taiwan-based Wistron will be looking for land near Bengaluru on which to construct its new facility. The company till recently owned and operated a major iPhone assembly plant in Karnataka, which was sold to Tata Electronics in mid-2023. At the time, it was reported that Wistron was looking to wind down its business in India altogether.   

Construction on the proposed Wistron laptop manufacturing facility could begin this year. In addition to laptops, it is slated to produce components for the EV manufacturing sector and other electronic devices, particularly in the IoT space. 

Globally, Wistron is an OEM for many large global brands and produces tablets, desktop PCs, smartphones, handhelds, monitors, TVs, and networking hardware in addition to laptops. It has experience in PCB design, structural testing, electromagnetic and safety engineering, product certification, software and driver development, and packaging design, amongst other things.

The news comes shortly after Samsung announced plans to upgrade its Noida plant to produce laptops in India, also for exports in addition to domestic sales.