 "Padma Bhushan awardee Foxconn Chairman Young Liu to visit India this year")
Foxconn Chairman Young Liu is set to visit India later this year after being awarded the Padma Bhushan, the country’s third highest civilian award. The honour was presented to him by Manharsinh Yadav, the director general of the India Taipei Association, on July 4 in Taipei.
"I am humbled to receive the award. I also want to say I am privileged to accept this award on behalf of all the fine women and men who work to do our part in growing local economies in India... I look forward to meeting Madam President in India this year," said Liu.
Liu came to India in July 2022 when he attended the Semicon India conclave and met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Foxconn has invested $9-10 billion in India to expand its iPhone production facility, setting up a chip plant in a joint venture with HCL Group, and establishing an electric vehicle manufacturing unit and Apple AirPods production.
Who is Foxconn Chairman Young Liu?
Young Liu, 66, is a seasoned entrepreneur with a career spanning over four decades. His entrepreneurial journey began in 1988 with the founding of Young Micro Systems, a company specialising in motherboards. In 1995, he expanded into the integrated circuit (IC) design sector, focusing on PC chipsets. Two years later, he launched ITE Tech, also known as ITeX, marking his third successful venture in the technology field.
Why was Foxconn Chairman Young Liu awarded the Padma Bhushan?
Foxconn, headquartered in Taiwan, is the world's largest contract manufacturer, assembling about 70 per cent of all iPhones.
In the past year, Foxconn has invested heavily in expanding its presence in India, particularly in the southern regions. This expansion is part of a broader strategy to reduce reliance on Chinese manufacturing and capitalise on the growing opportunities in the Indian market. Liu has been a vocal advocate for India's potential in the electronics manufacturing sector.
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Liu's recognition with the Padma Bhushan highlights his significant impact on the technology industry and demonstrates the strengthening collaboration between Foxconn and India, promising substantial benefits for the country’s manufacturing capabilities and economic growth.
Foxconn under scrutiny for hiring practices
Foxconn recently came under scrutiny in India after a Reuters investigation revealed that the company’s main India iPhone assembly plant has systematically excluded married women from employment, citing "cultural issues" and societal pressures. The report claimed that these discriminatory recruitment rules were verbally conveyed to Indian hiring agencies.
The investigation found that Foxconn typically avoids hiring married women due to perceived "risk factors," such as family responsibilities and the potential for maternity leave. Although the company and Apple acknowledged lapses in hiring practices in 2022 and claimed efforts to address these issues, discriminatory practices were documented at the Sriperumbudur plant in 2023 and 2024.
In response to these claims, Foxconn informed the Indian government that 25 per cent of its new hires were married women. They also defended their safety protocols, which require all employees to avoid wearing metal, asserting these rules are not discriminatory based on gender or religion. Foxconn denied that the exclusion of married women is part of its policy, suggesting the claims may come from individuals who were not hired.
Foxconn's informal note to the government stated that the media reports maligned the fast-growing Indian manufacturing sector.
(With inputs from PTI)