India's largest source of blue-collar jobs is the Apple ecosystem! The Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) program for smartphones was introduced in August 2021, and since then, the Apple ecosystem has become a significant employer in India. With approximately 150,000 direct employees, it is the nation's largest employer of workers in the blue-collar sector.

Experts and government representatives told ET that many of these workers are youthful, inexperienced job searchers, often between the ages of 19 and 24. Furthermore, the ecosystem is said to have helped 300,000 individuals find indirect work prospects. Businesses who use the PLI scheme's incentives are required to publish the statistics on job creation.

There are over 3,000 people directly employed by Apple in India. According to experts, the production of iOS apps sustains an astounding one million employment. Over 400,000 employment may have been created by the Apple ecosystem in the previous 32 months, both directly and indirectly, according to an official cited by the financial daily.

Together with Foxconn, Wistron, and Pegatron, among other suppliers, Apple has expanded local component manufacture in addition to assembling the newest iPhone models.

The Taiwanese parent firm of Wistron sold its India division to Tata Group last year. With a combined total of nearly 77,000 direct employment created, the three suppliers eligible for PLI plan incentives are Foxconn (41,000), Wistron (41,000), and Pegatron (41,000).

It is projected that during the peak production period of June to September, iPhone manufacturing will recruit around 10,000 workers in the upcoming months. In February, production forecasts for FY24 exceeded Rs 1 lakh crore, while market value estimations were as high as Rs 1.6 lakh crore.

According to experts, Apple may now be positioned as the nation's top phone maker in terms of value as it has exceeded the production goals established under the PLI program.

Apple is gradually expanding its network of Indian suppliers in order to help with the production shift away from China. These suppliers, which are dispersed throughout many states, have not only produced employment prospects through the contract manufacturers, but they have also directly generated over 70,000 new jobs. Among Apple's suppliers, Salcomp Technologies and Tata Electronics are notable employment generators. Furthermore, manufacturers of cables and batteries like Foxlink and Sunwoda are important contributors to the growth of the labor force.

Additionally, many thousand new employment opportunities have been created by major suppliers of iPhone sub-assemblies and components, including as Avary Technologies, CCL Industries, and Flex.

As part of its $50 million Supplier Employee Development Fund, Apple has launched an educational program focused on women's health in order to support this growing ecosystem.