Apple has been rapidly expanding its manufacturing operations in India as part of its strategy to reduce dependence on China. However, a series of incidents involving its major manufacturing partners, including Tata Electronics and Foxconn, have raised concerns about worker safety, factory management and supply chain reliability.

The latest incident involves the death of three workers at Tata Electronics' manufacturing facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. The workers reportedly died due to asphyxiation on Monday evening. Both the company and the government have ordered investigations into the incident.

The development comes at a crucial time for Apple, which has been increasing iPhone production in India since 2017. Tata Electronics and Foxconn are among the company's key manufacturing partners in the country. However, several incidents over the past few years have highlighted the challenges facing Apple's growing Indian manufacturing ecosystem.

Let's take a look at some major incidents that have affected Apple's manufacturing partners in India.

June-July 2026: Data Theft Raises Security Concerns at Tata Electronics

Tata Electronics faced a major cybersecurity challenge after more than 200,000 files were reportedly stolen from its iPhone assembly facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu.

A ransomware group subsequently published the stolen information on the dark web. The compromised files reportedly contained sensitive supplier details and images of Apple's then-unlaunched iPhone 18 Pro.

Following the incident, Tata Electronics restricted employee access to sensitive systems and hired an international consultant to investigate the security breach.

June 2026: Pollution Allegations Put Tata's Factory Under Scrutiny

Tata Electronics also faced environmental concerns after the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board threatened action against its Hosur manufacturing facility.

The allegations involved sewage from the factory allegedly contaminating wells in nearby agricultural fields. Tata Electronics, however, maintained that an independent inspection had found the facility compliant with environmental regulations.

The company later stated that the pollution control board had accepted its responses and stopped further action.

January 2025: Foxconn Faces Workplace Discrimination Allegations

Foxconn came under scrutiny after India's National Human Rights Commission raised concerns about the handling of employment discrimination allegations at its iPhone manufacturing facility.

The commission reprimanded labour officials over their failure to properly investigate the complaints. However, a subsequent investigation cleared Foxconn of wrongdoing.

November 2024: Married Women Hiring Controversy

A Reuters investigation brought attention to allegations that married women were being systematically excluded from assembly jobs at Foxconn's Tamil Nadu facility.

The report raised questions about recruitment practices and workplace discrimination. Following the controversy, Foxconn instructed its recruitment agents to remove age, gender and marital status requirements from job advertisements.

September 2024: Fire Disrupts Tata Electronics Production

A fire broke out in a chemical storage unit at Tata Electronics' Hosur facility in September 2024.

The incident disrupted manufacturing operations, forcing the company to temporarily halt production of iPhone components for several days. The incident highlighted the importance of industrial safety at large electronics manufacturing facilities.

September 2023: Pegatron Factory Fire in Chennai

Another production setback occurred at Pegatron's iPhone manufacturing facility in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

A fire broke out at the factory, forcing the company to temporarily suspend iPhone assembly operations. The incident affected production at a time when Apple was expanding its manufacturing presence in India.

February 2023: Fire at Foxlink's Andhra Pradesh Facility

Foxlink, a manufacturer of charging cables and other components for Apple products, experienced a major fire at its facility in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh.

The fire caused part of the building to collapse, disrupting manufacturing operations. Production remained suspended following the incident, affecting the company's supply chain.

December 2021: Worker Protests Force Foxconn Factory Closure

Foxconn's manufacturing facility near Chennai faced a major labour dispute in December 2021 after nearly 250 workers reportedly fell ill.

The incident triggered protests among employees, forcing the factory to remain closed for more than three weeks.

An investigation conducted by Apple subsequently found that the facility was not meeting the required standards. The incident brought workplace conditions and employee welfare into the spotlight.

December 2020: Unpaid Salary Dispute at Wistron's Karnataka Factory

One of the biggest labour-related controversies involving Apple's manufacturing ecosystem in India occurred at Wistron's Narsapura facility in Karnataka.

Workers vandalised the factory during protests over unpaid wages and other employment-related grievances. The incident forced the company to suspend operations for nearly three months.

Wistron subsequently sold its Indian business to the Tata Group in 2023, further expanding Tata's role in Apple's manufacturing ecosystem.

Can India Become Apple's Biggest Manufacturing Alternative to China?

Apple's decision to expand manufacturing in India is part of a broader strategy to diversify its global supply chain. Companies such as Tata Electronics and Foxconn play an important role in this transition by assembling iPhones and manufacturing essential components.

However, repeated incidents involving factory fires, labour disputes, environmental concerns, cybersecurity breaches and worker safety show that expanding production is not without challenges.

For India, becoming a major global electronics manufacturing hub will require more than attracting international companies. Strong workplace safety standards, effective labour management, environmental compliance and robust cybersecurity systems will also be essential.

Apple's manufacturing ambitions in India remain significant, but the ability of its partners to maintain consistent production standards and protect their workers will be crucial to the country's long-term success.