Foxconn’s ‘mini-township’ takes shape in India; 30,000 new staff with 80% women hired

Foxconn, the primary contract manufacturer for Apple, has successfully recruited nearly 30,000 staff for its new iPhone assembly facility in Devanahalli, near Bengaluru. This massive recruitment drive, completed in just nine months, represents the fastest factory scale-up ever recorded in India.

The 300-acre campus is a central pillar of Apple’s strategy to diversify its manufacturing base beyond China. What makes this facility particularly notable is its workforce: approximately 80% of the employees are women. Most of these workers are between the ages of 19 and 24 and are entering the formal job market for the first time.

Since starting trial production in the spring, the plant has quickly advanced from assembling the iPhone 16 to manufacturing the latest iPhone 17 Pro Max models. The scale of operation is vast, with over 80% of the factory's output currently being exported to global markets.

To support such a large workforce, Foxconn is transforming the site into a self-contained mini-township. The campus already features six large dormitories to house staff, and there are plans to include medical centres, schools, and recreational facilities on-site.

Employees at the Devanahalli plant receive free accommodation and subsidised meals. With an average monthly salary of approximately ₹18,000, the roles are considered amongst the highest-paying blue-collar opportunities for women in the region.

The facility is far from finished. Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, is investing roughly ₹20,000 crore into the venture. Industry analysts expect the workforce to swell to 50,000 people by next year as more assembly lines become operational.

Once fully complete, the Bengaluru site is expected to eclipse Foxconn’s existing plant in Tamil Nadu, making it the largest electronics manufacturing hub in India and a global benchmark for women-led industrial projects.