Is the Electronics Sector Creating Large-Scale Jobs for Indian Women?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Electronics sector is creating vast job opportunities for women.
- Foxconn's new facility employs around 30,000 women.
- Majority of the workforce consists of first-time job seekers.
- Investment in the project stands at Rs 20,000 crore.
- Foxconn aims for a workforce of 50,000 by next year.
New Delhi, Dec 22 (NationPress) The electronics industry is significantly contributing to the creation of extensive blue-collar employment opportunities for women across India, stated Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, on Monday.
He highlighted this development while referencing reports about Foxconn, a Taiwan-based company, which has recruited nearly 30,000 workers—around 80 percent being women—at its newly established iPhone assembly plant in Bengaluru, just within a span of eight to nine months.
In a post on the social media site X, Vaishnaw remarked that “a factory predominantly managed by women was something unimaginable just a decade ago”.
“The electronics sector is persistently generating large-scale, skilled blue-collar jobs, particularly for women. This showcases technology transfer, women's empowerment, and enhanced living standards,” he elaborated.
At its new facility in Devanahalli, Foxconn has reportedly employed women, primarily first-time entrants into the formal job market, mostly aged between 19 and 24. By next year, the workforce at the factory is anticipated to grow to almost 50,000.
The trial production at this facility commenced in April-May this year with the iPhone 16. Currently, the plant is assembling the latest iPhone 17 Pro Max models, with over 80 percent of the output intended for export markets.
This Taiwanese contract manufacturer is investing approximately Rs 20,000 crore into this project.
With a production area covering nearly 250,000 square feet, this facility will become the largest manufacturing site for the company in India, in terms of both production capacity and employment.
The new facility is also projected to surpass Foxconn’s initial iPhone manufacturing site in Tamil Nadu, which currently employs around 41,000 individuals.
In October, Foxconn disclosed plans to invest Rs 15,000 crore in Tamil Nadu, aiming to create 14,000 valuable job opportunities.
Foxconn currently operates in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Telangana, and these new initiatives indicate a substantial expansion of its presence in India.