Deaths at Tata Electronics Plant Raise Concerns Over Safety in Apple’s India Supply Chain

Three contract workers died on November 9 at a Tata Electronics factory in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, which manufactures critical components for Apple’s iPhones. The incident has raised fresh concerns over industrial safety standards and working conditions across Apple’s expanding manufacturing network in India.

The workers were reportedly carrying out maintenance activities at an effluent treatment plant operated by Nalco Water, a subsidiary of US-based Ecolab. They are suspected to have inhaled toxic gases while inspecting a nano-filtration tank. The Tamil Nadu government has ordered an investigation, while Tata Electronics and Apple are also examining the incident.

India has emerged as an important manufacturing destination for Apple as the company seeks to reduce its dependence on China amid geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions. India now accounts for approximately 25 per cent of global iPhone production. The expansion has been supported by government incentives under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.

Foxconn and the Tata Group are Apple's principal manufacturing partners in India. Tata strengthened its position after acquiring Wistron's Indian operations in 2023 and subsequently taking control of Pegatron's Indian iPhone manufacturing business.

Previous Incidents Highlight Challenges in Apple’s Manufacturing Ecosystem

The latest deaths are part of a series of incidents involving Apple's manufacturing partners in India. In June 2026, a ransomware attack on Tata Electronics' Hosur facility reportedly resulted in the leakage of more than 200,000 files containing confidential supplier information and component specifications.

The facility has also faced environmental scrutiny following allegations of groundwater contamination. In 2024, a fire at the plant temporarily disrupted iPhone component production.

Other manufacturing partners have encountered similar challenges. Foxconn faced allegations in 2024 of excluding married women from assembly-line jobs at its Tamil Nadu facility, prompting investigations by government authorities. The company subsequently instructed recruitment agents to remove discriminatory eligibility criteria.

Earlier incidents included a fire at Pegatron's Chennai facility in September 2023, worker protests over food safety at Foxconn's factory in 2021, and wage-related unrest at Wistron's Karnataka facility in 2020.

These developments underline the importance of strengthening workplace safety, labour protection, environmental compliance and cybersecurity as India expands its role in global electronics manufacturing.