Foxconn on mission mode for 'Make in India' hub

Taiwanese electronics giant $117.5 billion Foxconn has initiated a high profile search mission to set up a manufacturing base in India with a series of meetings with state chief ministers and the central leadership.

Its top brass on Tuesday had a detailed discussion with federal Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad here.

"The minister and Foxconn officials exchanged views. Foxconn is positive on India in various sectors. They have already met the prime minister," a source told IANS.

The 15-20 member delegation was led by Foxconn founder and chairman Terry Gou.

Earlier, Foxconn officials met Telegana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in what officials described as an exercise to identify preferred manufacturing hubs. This apart, Foxconn has also evinced interest in a host of areas globally including e-commerce and investment startups.

Earlier, the world's largest electronics-assembly contractor had said it was aiming to set up 10-12 greenfield manufacturing facilities in the country by the end of 2020.

Gou had earlier said these plants would initially come in five states including Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The company also is planning to set up data centres and incubators in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

Apart from manufacturing, Foxconn is also looking to invest in Indian Internet start-ups under a plan called Internet Plus, SMEs, e-commerce portals and handset makers.

The Taiwanese iPhone maker is already examining the possibility of setting up a manufacturing facility in Hyderabad. Group president Calvin Chin and FIH Mobile Ltd chairman Vincent Whtong met the Telangana chief minister in this connection on June 11.

India, with its 980 million telecom subscribers base already is home to more than 100 mobile and smartphone manufacturers. Another Taiwanese company Asus and China's Xiaomi are reportedly in talks with Foxconn for contract manufacturing base in India.

Foxconn produces devices for Apple, Amazon (Kindle), Cisco, Dell, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard (HP) as well as mobile handsets, tablets, TVs, routers, set-top boxes and printers.