India, Sept. 10 -- Apple's decision to manufacture the entire iPhone 17 lineup in India marks a transformative moment for the country's electronics sector and its integration into global supply chains. With production now anchored in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka through partners such as Foxconn and Tata Electronics, India is no longer just a consumption market-it is emerging as a strategic manufacturing hub.

This shift reduces reliance on imports and, thereby, avoids the 20% Basic Customs Duty (BCD) typically levied on fully assembled smartphones brought into India. It also insulates Apple from future tariff escalations in key export markets, such as the US, where certain Indian goods now face duties of up to 50%, even though smartphones rem...