Foxconn’s Bengaluru unit draws praise, triggers political credit debate

Rahul Gandhi lauds Karnataka government for rapid job creation at Foxconn’s Devanahalli facility, while Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw credits Centre’s Make in India push

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has praised the Karnataka government for enabling what he described as the fastest factory ramp-up ever seen in India, pointing to Foxconn’s rapid expansion near Bengaluru. The remarks have sparked a political exchange, with the Union government asserting that the achievement reflects the success of the Centre’s Make in India initiative.

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Sharing a screenshot of an Economic Times report on Facebook, Rahul Gandhi highlighted that iPhone manufacturer Foxconn recruited around 30,000 employees within just eight to nine months at its facility near Devanahalli, on the outskirts of Bengaluru. He noted that nearly 80 per cent of the workforce comprises women.

Rahul Gandhi described the development as more than just a numerical milestone, calling it an example of transformational job creation. He underlined that the workforce is largely women-led, with most employees aged between 19 and 24 years, and many entering the workforce for the first time. According to him, Karnataka has set a benchmark by creating an ecosystem where manufacturing can grow at such scale and speed, offering dignified jobs and wider opportunities.

Thanks @RahulGandhi for acknowledging the success of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji’s ‘Make in India’ programme. As you have noted, we are becoming a producer economy as we implement our PM’s vision. pic.twitter.com/1K8kmE6s3t

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) December 24, 2025

However, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw responded on Wednesday, attributing the achievement to the Centre’s policies. In a post on X, he thanked Rahul Gandhi for acknowledging what he termed the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India programme. Vaishnaw said that as the Prime Minister’s vision is being implemented, India is steadily becoming a strong manufacturing economy.

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Foxconn, a Taiwan-based company, is Apple’s contract manufacturer for iPhones. The company has recently begun producing the iPhone 17, as part of Apple’s broader strategy to shift manufacturing from China to India.

Over the last 12 months, iPhones worth $22 billion have been assembled in India. Currently, about 20 per cent of all iPhones produced globally are manufactured in the country, marking a significant shift in Apple’s global supply chain and positioning India as a major electronics manufacturing hub.