Foxconn, the global iPhone manufacturer, is pushing for greater female representation in leadership roles within design and technology sectors in its India operations, according to a senior company official. With a workforce of 48,000 employees across India, Foxconn has made significant strides in gender diversity, with 25% of its new hires being married women. The company is now aiming to elevate women from assembly roles to more advanced positions in design and technology.
“We are not just looking at assembly work for women but are also focusing on design and technology-related roles. Many of our current employees are highly educated, and we want to provide them with more opportunities to progress in their careers,” Foxconn Chairman Young Liu told a news agency.
In it’s Indian facilities, women make up approximately 70% of the workforce, with men accounting for the remaining 30%. To support this workforce, Foxconn recently opened a women-only residential complex in Sriperumbudur, near Chennai, built by the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT). This complex can accommodate over 18,000 women employees.
Liu highlighted that Foxconn’s hiring in India is on the rise across all categories, and the company does not discriminate based on gender. The company is also expanding its manufacturing footprint in the country, with a new mobile manufacturing plant in Karnataka. This facility, Foxconn’s second largest outside China, represents a ₹25,000 crore investment and is expected to create 40,000 jobs.
The company recently increased its investment in the Karnataka unit by ₹1,200 crore, bringing its total investment in Foxconn Hon Hai Technology India Mega Development Pvt Ltd to approximately ₹13,800 crore.
Additionally, Liu revealed that the company is in discussions with the Tamil Nadu government to establish a battery energy storage system unit focused on electric vehicles. The company is also venturing into semiconductor manufacturing in India and plans to start producing electric vehicles in the country.
Foxconn’s information and communication technology segment is still in its early stages in India, but the company is eager to implement its “3+3 strategy,” which focuses on expanding in three key industries: electric vehicles, digital health, and robotics.
