iPhone 15 production begins in India, Apple plans to diversify from China

Supplier Foxconn is starting production of the iPhone 15 in India as the company works to shift its manufacturing operations away from China.

Foxconns Sriperumbudur factory is preparing to deliver the new phones just weeks after they start shipping from the Chinese factory, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources.

Apple has been working to diversify its supply chain as U.S.-China tensions continue. After meeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House this year, Apple CEO Tim Cook told CNBC that India represented a "tremendous opportunity."

With bipartisan skepticism of the Chinese government in the United States, the Biden administration has taken multiple actions to limit the flow of key technologies and U.S. investment into China. China has also imposed restrictions on the sale of some U.S. semiconductors.

Apple recently ramped up iPhone production in India, where assembly was worth more than $7 billion in the last fiscal year, Bloomberg reported earlier. Citing sources, the outlet said in April that nearly 7 percent of Apples iPhones are produced in India. Previously, India was six to nine months behind China in iPhone assembly, but the gap has narrowed significantly, according to Bloomberg.

Apple typically announces its new iPhone lineup at its annual event in September. This years update is expected to include major camera updates and an improved processor in the Pro models, according to Bloomberg.

According to reports, the Wistron factory acquired by Pegatron and Tata Group will also start assembling the iPhone 15 in India soon.