The Apple ecosystem has directly employed more than 1.5 lakh individuals since the implementation of the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for smartphones in August 2021, making it the largest creator of blue-collar jobs in the country.

A majority of these employees are first-time job seekers in the 19-24 age group, according to a report from The Economic Times.

Additionally, an estimated 3 lakh people have been indirectly employed as a result of this initiative. Companies benefiting from the PLI scheme are required to report their employment creation data to the government.

In addition to the jobs created by contract manufacturers and suppliers, Apple directly employs nearly 3,000 individuals in India. Moreover, iOS app development supports more than 10 lakh jobs, as per officials.

Apple has significantly increased its focus on India, the world’s second-largest smartphone market, especially amidst geopolitical tensions and a decline in its key markets of the US and China.

The company began manufacturing iPhones in India in 2017 and has since ramped up local production in line with the PLI scheme. It has collaborated with suppliers to assemble the latest iPhone models through its contract manufacturers – Foxconn, Wistron, and Pegatron – and has also started producing an increasing number of components locally.

Foxconn and Wistron, both in their third year under the PLI scheme, have created over 77,000 direct jobs, with Foxconn leading at 41,000, followed by Wistron (27,300) and Pegatron (9,200). Pegatron, completing its second year of operations in India, is also a participant in the scheme.

Experts predict that iPhone factories will directly hire over 10,000 people during the peak production period from June to September, when production is expected to run at full capacity to meet global demand for the next iPhone model, typically launched in September.

In February, FY24 production of iPhones exceeded Rs 1 lakh crore. These phones have a market value of Rs 1.6 lakh crore, depending on taxes and dealer margins, surpassing targets under the PLI scheme and possibly making Apple the largest phone manufacturer in the country by value.

To support this growing ecosystem, Apple has launched an educational program focused on women’s health as part of its $50-million Supplier Employee Development Fund.