BENGALURU: If all goes well the leading manufacturer of Apple phones Foxconn, which is expected to shift its base away from China, is expected to set up its manufacturing plant in the proximity of the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) and is likely to generate over 1 lakh jobs.
Foxconn, which owns over 54,000 parents has R & D centres and manufacturing units in many countries including China, India, Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Czech Republic, and the USA.
"Apple phones are to be built in the state soon. Apart from creating about 100,000 jobs, it will create a whole lot of opportunities for Karnataka. Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble PM @narendramodi Ji, we will do our share to make India a $5 trillion economy by 2025 (sic)", tweeted the ecstatic chief minister of Karnataka Basavaraj Bommai.
The seventeen-member delegation of the Taiwan-based leading manufacturer of Apple phones, including senior officials headed by Young Liu, CEO and Chairman of the company arrived in the IT capital on Friday morning to inspect the location for setting up an Apple phone manufacturing unit in the state.
Liu, it is said, remarked that Bengaluru was the preferred destination for global companies and had been a forerunner in attracting investment. He also stated that the company posted an income of 206 billion USD in 2021.
The Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) officials took the delegation to show terminal- 2 of the airport which was recently inaugurated. They also explained about the cargo division which has been operating at the airport.
They held a preliminary meeting with Karnataka IT/BT minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayanan. It will be led to the 300 acres of land at KIADB, near Doddaballapura for the site inspection. The minister informed the press adding that the delegation would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi after it departs from Bengaluru.
The minister informed the delegation about the reforms introduced in ITI, Polytechnic, and Engineering courses and how the curriculum had been revamped to suit the Global industry demand.
He added that about 1.5 lakh engineering graduates are coming out every year from 270 engineering colleges in the state. The GTTCs and KGTTIs are playing a major role in imparting required technical skills to the students, he claimed.
He also apprised the delegation of the industrial ecosystem of the state and about the quality of IT & Technical education which is being provided, the push given to skill development, the availability of trained human resources, and cooperation extended by the industry.
The additional chief secretary Dr E V Ramana Reddy, ACS, S Selva Kumar, Principal Secretary, and Gunjan Krishna, Commissioner, Department of Industries were present.