Apple is enhancing its collaboration with India by engaging Tata Group to oversee repairs for iPhones and MacBooks, highlighting the increasing significance of the Indian conglomerate in the tech giant’s worldwide supply chain. According to two sources familiar with the situation, Tata will assume after-sales service duties from ICT Service Management Solutions, the Indian branch of Taiwan’s Wistron. This transition, which is already in progress, will be based at Tata’s iPhone assembly facility located in Karnataka. This initiative signifies a notable expansion of Tata’s alliance with Apple. Tata is already involved in assembling iPhones and producing certain components as the U.S. company seeks to diversify its production away from China. India has rapidly emerged as a crucial growth market for Apple. iPhone sales soared to an unprecedented 11 million units in 2023, increasing from a mere 1% market share in 2020 to 7% currently, as reported by Counterpoint Research. As sales continue to grow, the need for effective, localized repair services also rises.
While Apple’s authorized service centers in India manage basic repairs, more intricate repairs will now be directed to Tata’s facility. Wistron’s ICT will maintain service for other clients but will withdraw from Apple-related operations. This transition also corresponds with wider geopolitical and economic trends. With U.S.-China trade tensions on the horizon—emphasized by tariff threats from President Donald Trump—India is becoming a favored location for Apple’s manufacturing and export requirements. Apple CEO Tim Cook faces pressure from Trump, who is urging him to relocate operations to America rather than concentrating on India.
