Apple in Early Talks to Assemble and Package iPhone Chips in India
Apple is in early discussions with Indian semiconductor firms to assemble and package components for the iPhone, marking the first time the company has considered chip assembly and packaging in India, the Economic Times reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. According to the report, Apple has held talks with Murugappa Group-owned CG Semi, which is setting up an outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) facility in Sanand, Gujarat. While it remains unclear which chips could be involved, the components are likely to include display-related chips. Reuters could not independently verify the report, and both Apple and CG Semi declined to comment, with CG Semi stating it does not discuss market speculation.
The move aligns with Apple’s broader strategy to diversify its supply chain and reduce dependence on China. Apple aims to manufacture most iPhones sold in the United States in India by the end of 2026, accelerating these plans amid tariff uncertainties. In April, the U.S. imposed 26% duties on imports from India—significantly lower than the more than 100% tariffs levied on Chinese goods at the time—though most duties have since been paused for three months, excluding those on China. Apple’s potential shift into chip assembly and packaging in India signals a broader rebalancing of global electronics supply chains. For non-Indian component makers, OSAT firms, and equipment suppliers, this could open new partnership opportunities, intensify competition in semiconductor services, and reshape sourcing strategies as multinational firms hedge against geopolitical and tariff risks.
Editor’s Note: Apple is in early talks with Indian semiconductor firms, including CG Semi, to assemble and package iPhone chips in Gujarat, marking its first move into chip assembly in India as part of supply chain diversification. The shift, driven by tariff pressures and a goal to manufacture most U.S.-bound iPhones in India by 2026, signals a global rebalancing of electronics supply chains and new opportunities for OSAT firms and suppliers.
IndiaAI Mission Invites Global AI Use Cases for Agriculture Compendium Ahead of 2026 Impact Summit
The IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with the Government of Maharashtra’s AI and Agritech Innovation Center, has announced a global call for submissions for a Compendium on the Real-World Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture. Supported by the World Bank and Wadhwani AI, the initiative aims to document deployed and scalable AI solutions that improve crop planning, farm operations, market access, and financial resilience for farmers, particularly in emerging and developing economies. The call is open to innovators, researchers, and practitioners worldwide, with submissions accepted until December 25, 2025.
Selected use cases will be compiled into a compendium to be unveiled at the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled from February 15 to 20 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Indicative themes include intelligent crop planning, smart farming and precision agriculture, farm-to-fork market linkages, and AI-driven financial inclusion and insurance solutions. Beyond India, the initiative is relevant for non-Indian agritech companies, AI startups, and global development players as it offers visibility to a high-level international policy and investor audience, opportunities for cross-country collaboration, and potential pathways to scale solutions across large agricultural markets facing similar climate and productivity challenges.
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2204860®=3&lang=1
Editor’s Note: The IndiaAI Mission, with support from the World Bank and Wadhwani AI, has launched a global call for AI use cases in agriculture to be compiled into a compendium showcasing scalable solutions for crop planning, farm operations, market access, and farmer resilience. The compendium will be unveiled at the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, offering global innovators visibility, collaboration opportunities, and pathways to scale solutions across large agricultural markets.
President Murmu Clears SHANTI Bill, Opening India’s Civil Nuclear Power Sector to Private Players
President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, enabling private participation in India’s civil nuclear sector, according to a government notification issued on Saturday. The legislation, passed by Parliament during the Winter Session, subsumes all existing laws governing civil nuclear energy and repeals the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, which the government said had constrained sectoral growth. Under the new framework, private companies and joint ventures are permitted to build, own, operate and decommission nuclear power plants, subject to government licensing.
At the same time, the SHANTI Bill retains state control over strategic and sensitive activities across the nuclear fuel cycle, including uranium and thorium mining, enrichment, spent fuel reprocessing, high-level radioactive waste management and heavy water production. The reform marks a significant restructuring of India’s civil nuclear architecture, separating power generation from core fuel-cycle activities. For non-Indian companies, the law creates potential opportunities in reactor technology, engineering services, project development and long-term partnerships with Indian private firms, while also signalling a more predictable regulatory environment in one of the world’s fastest-growing electricity markets. The approval of the SHANTI Bill came hours after the President also cleared the Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, replacing the two-decade-old MGNREGA framework as part of the government’s broader Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
Editor’s Note: President Droupadi Murmu has approved the SHANTI Bill, allowing private companies to build and operate nuclear power plants while retaining state control over sensitive fuel-cycle activities. The reform restructures India’s civil nuclear sector, opening opportunities for global partnerships and signalling a more predictable regulatory environment, alongside the President’s clearance of the Viksit Bharat employment mission.
EV Battery Waste Emerges as a Growing Environmental Challenge Amid India’s Electric Mobility Push
The rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is widely seen as a major step towards cleaner air and a more sustainable future, with zero tailpipe emissions helping to improve urban air quality. However, experts warn that the environmental benefits of EVs could be undermined by the rising volume of end-of-life batteries. Studies indicate that improper battery disposal accounts for more than 40% of hazardous chemicals found in landfills, raising concerns that without robust recycling and waste-management systems, India could face a new pollution crisis. Policymakers and industry stakeholders are increasingly calling for urgent action to prevent battery waste from offsetting the gains of the country’s EV transition.
Lithium-ion batteries used in EVs contain hazardous materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and other heavy metals, which can pose serious environmental and health risks if not handled responsibly. When discarded improperly, these substances can leach into soil and groundwater, contaminating farmland and food systems and threatening ecosystems and public health. For non-Indian companies, particularly EV manufacturers, battery makers and recycling firms, India’s emerging battery waste challenge presents both regulatory risk and opportunity—highlighting the need for sustainable battery design, cross-border recycling partnerships and investment in circular-economy solutions as the country scales up electric mobility.
Source:
Revolutionizing Battery Recycling: Paving the Way for a Greener India, ETAuto
Editor’s Note: India’s rapid EV adoption risks being undermined by rising battery waste, with improper disposal contributing over 40% of hazardous landfill chemicals and posing serious environmental and health threats. Policymakers and industry leaders are urging robust recycling and circular-economy solutions, creating both risks and opportunities for global EV and battery firms as the country scales up electric mobility.
Global Firms Deepen Bets on India as Semiconductors, Manufacturing and Trade Gain Momentum
Global companies are accelerating investments and partnerships in India as the country strengthens its position across semiconductors, electronics manufacturing, artificial intelligence and trade. Japan’s Rohm and Tata Electronics have entered a strategic partnership to set up power semiconductor manufacturing operations in India, targeting both domestic and export markets as companies seek to localise chip supply chains. In a separate move, Japan-based AOI Electronics has formed a business alliance with India’s Kaynes Semicon Private Limited and Japan’s Mitsui to support the establishment of a semiconductor back-end processing and assembly business in the country. Together, the deals underscore growing Japanese participation in India’s semiconductor ecosystem, spanning both front-end and back-end capabilities.
At the same time, Taiwan’s Foxconn is rapidly expanding its manufacturing footprint in India, hiring tens of thousands of workers at a new iPhone plant near Bengaluru and developing what sources describe as a “factory-city” model similar to those it previously built in China. The investment momentum is reinforced by policy and trade developments, including India’s tightening AI governance framework, which is influencing where sensitive AI workloads are deployed and encouraging India-based infrastructure, and the conclusion of free trade agreement negotiations between India and New Zealand. For non-Indian companies, these shifts signal India’s emergence as a strategic hub for manufacturing, semiconductor supply chains, data localisation and trade access, offering opportunities to diversify operations, tap new markets and align with evolving regulatory and geopolitical realities.
Editor’s Note: Global firms are ramping up investments in India’s semiconductor and manufacturing sectors, with partnerships such as Rohm–Tata Electronics and AOI–Kaynes–Mitsui highlighting growing Japanese involvement, while Foxconn expands its iPhone production near Bengaluru. Backed by policy shifts in AI governance and new trade agreements, India is emerging as a strategic hub for semiconductors, electronics, data localisation, and global market access.
US Lawmakers Move to End Trump’s India Tariffs, Citing Supply Chain and Consumer Impact
A group of U.S. lawmakers has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives to terminate former President Donald Trump’s national emergency that authorised tariffs of up to 50% on imports from India. Representatives Deborah Ross of North Carolina, Marc Veasey of Texas and Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois tabled the resolution on December 13, seeking to restore Congress’ constitutional authority over trade. The measure would revoke the emergency powers Trump invoked under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose sweeping tariffs on Indian goods and rescind the additional 25% “secondary” duties that took effect on August 27, including penalties linked to India’s purchases of Russian oil. Together, these actions pushed duties on many Indian-origin products to as high as 50%, the highest levied on any country.
The lawmakers argued that the tariffs have disrupted supply chains, harmed American workers and increased costs for U.S. consumers, rather than advancing national security or economic interests. Ross highlighted North Carolina’s deep trade and investment ties with India, noting that Indian companies have invested over $1 billion in the state and that local manufacturers export hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of pharmaceuticals, chemicals and advanced machinery to India each year. The resolution follows a bipartisan Senate-passed move to end tariffs on Brazil and curb the use of emergency powers for trade actions, and forms part of a broader Democratic push to reset U.S.–India relations. For non-Indian companies, particularly multinational manufacturers and exporters, the outcome of this effort is closely watched, as it could ease cost pressures, stabilise global supply chains and signal a shift away from unilateral tariff actions that affect cross-border trade and investment planning.
Editor’s Note: U.S. lawmakers have introduced a resolution to end Trump-era tariffs of up to 50% on Indian imports, arguing they disrupt supply chains, hurt workers, and raise consumer costs. The move, part of a broader push to reset U.S.–India relations, could ease global trade pressures and create a more stable environment for multinational manufacturers and exporters.