New Delhi, August 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Apple could expand its manufacturing operations in India beyond iPhones, while the government is working with three potential Indian smartphone players that could emerge in the next 10-14 months, Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Friday.
Asked whether Apple could manufacture products other than iPhones in India, Vaishnaw responded in the affirmative, indicating the possibility of a broader manufacturing and product ecosystem for the company in the country.
The minister also said the government was seeking to strengthen Indian smartphone brands and help them compete across different market segments.
As part of the initiative, three Indian companies have been asked to develop best-in-segment smartphone designs and identify the categories in which they would be most competitive, ranging from economy and premium to super-premium devices.
Vaishnaw said the companies had indicated a preference for the high-volume segment. However, the government would assess their intellectual property and the quality of their designs before providing support.
“At this point, I see three potential Indian smartphone players coming up in 10-14 months,” Vaishnaw said.
His comments came after the government notified the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS), aimed at expanding domestic mobile phone production and encouraging the emergence of Indian smartphone brands.
The scheme has two target segments. Target Segment 1 focuses on incentivising mobile phone manufacturing, while Target Segment 2 is designed to support Indian mobile phone brands.
Companies applying under the second segment will get a one-year gestation period to establish operations and meet eligibility conditions before claiming financial incentives.
Under the MPMS, India-registered mobile phone manufacturers with a minimum turnover of Rs 10,000 crore in FY26 are eligible to participate. Existing brands seeking incentives must record additional sales of Rs 5,000 crore over their total FY26 sales in each financial year for which incentives are claimed.
For electronics manufacturing services (EMS) companies, the minimum FY26 turnover requirement is Rs 1,000 crore.
The government’s latest initiative is aimed at helping India move beyond being a major manufacturing base and build a stronger domestic electronics ecosystem, including locally designed and branded smartphones.
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