Tata Electronics Plant Fire Disrupts Apple iPhone Production in Southern India

A fire at Tata Electronics' plant in Tamil Nadu, a key facility manufacturing Apple iPhone components, has halted production. The incident adds to previous disruptions of Apple's supply chain in India caused by strikes, weather, and other fires. The impact on production is still being assessed.

A fire at a major Tata Electronics plant manufacturing components for Apple iPhones in southern India halted production on Saturday, marking the latest in a series of incidents disrupting Apple's facilities in the region. The cause of the blaze at Tata's Tamil Nadu plant remains unclear.

Apple has been eyeing a large manufacturing base in India since it began assembling iPhones in the country in 2017. Currently, its products are manufactured through contracts with firms including Foxconn and Tata Electronics. The extent of the fire's impact on Tata's supplies is still unknown. While one building where iPhone components are made caught fire, it is unclear whether a neighbouring building, set to begin manufacturing complete smartphones by the year-end, is affected.

Recent years have seen several incidents disrupting Apple's facilities in India. These include worker strikes, weather disruptions, and other fires at different suppliers' plants. These interruptions have influenced Apple's manufacturing output in the country. (Compiled by Blassy Boben and Krishn Kaushik; edited by Mark Potter and Clelia Oziel)

(With inputs from agencies.)