Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday highlighted Karnataka’s new Foxconn iPhone manufacturing unit, which has hired 30,000 staff in just eight to nine months, calling it a model for job creation in India.
Posting on his Facebook page on Monday, Rahul shared a news report and called the growth “transformative job creation.”
“What makes it even more powerful is that the unit is largely women-led, with around 80 per cent women, most aged 19–24, and for many, this is their first job. Karnataka is setting an example by creating an ecosystem where manufacturing can grow at this scale and speed. This is the India we must build: jobs with dignity, and opportunities for all,” he wrote.
The factory began testing production in April-May with the iPhone 16 and now manufactures the latest iPhone 17 Pro Max models, the report said. More than 80 per cent of production is exported.
The report added, the facility could employ up to 50,000 staff at peak production next year. Six large dormitories have been built to house the predominantly young women workforce, with several already operational and the rest under construction.
The facility is among the largest iPhone plants in India and is expected to become the country’s biggest once fully completed. The Devanahalli plant is expected to house more women employees at a single location than any other organisation in India.
Women migrants from neighbouring states have already secured jobs there, and the facility is envisioned to function as a mini township. Plans for the site include residential facilities, schools, medical services and entertainment spaces within the premises.
Workers are reported to receive free accommodation, subsidised food, and an average monthly salary of about Rs 18,000, making it one of the better-paying blue-collar jobs for women.