Apple for labour reforms as it seeks to expand local production in India

In an effort to increase local production, Apple Inc. is requesting revisions to India's labour regulations, as it moves ahead with taking the iPhone assembly away from China.

According to news reports, which quoted officials with knowledge of the situation, Tamil Nadu , which is home to the largest iPhone manufacturing facility in India operated by Foxconn Technology Group, is open to adopting new regulations that would allow for more flexibility in factory shifts.

The news reports quoting people, who asked not to be identified because the meetings with state government officials were private, said executives from Apple and the Indian Cellular and Electronics Association lobby group—which represents the US company as well as its suppliers Foxconn, Pegatron Corp., and Wistron Corp.—met with officials over a six-month period to push for the reforms.

The proposed modifications are expected to equalise local working hours with those at Chinese iPhone factories. As per earlier news reports, Foxconn, a supplier to Apple, was one among the businesses that advocated for a historic liberalisation of labour restrictions in Karnataka earlier this month. The newly altered policies in poll-bound Karnataka permit 12-hour shift and night-time work for women, similar to business practises in China.