Rahul Gandhi praises Foxconn jobs push in Karnataka, Ashwini Vaishnaw accepts compliment in a witty way
Rahul Gandhi praises Foxconn jobs push in Karnataka, Ashwini Vaishnaw accepts compliment in a witty way
New Delhi:
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi this week praised the Karnataka government for what he described as the fastest factory ramp up seen in India so far, citing iPhone maker Foxconn’s rapid hiring at its facility near Bengaluru.
Gandhi was referring to Foxconn recruiting nearly 30,000 workers in just nine months, with around 80 per cent of the workforce being women. He shared a screenshot of an Economic Times report in a Facebook post on Monday.
“30,000 staff hired in just eight–nine months - the fastest factory ramp-up seen in India so far…” Rahul Gandhi wrote.
"This is not just a statistic. It is transformative job creation. What makes it even more powerful is the unit is largely women-led, with around 80 per cent women, most aged 19–24… for many, this is their first job. Karnataka is setting an example by creating an ecosystem where manufacturing can grow at this scale and speed," he said.
"This is the India we must build: jobs with dignity, and opportunities for all."
On Wednesday, Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw responded with a post on X, seeking to credit the Centre for the development.
Thanks Rahul Gandhi, for acknowledging the success of PM Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' programme. As you have noted, we are becoming a producer economy as we implement our PM's vision,” Vaishnaw said, sharing a screenshot of Gandhi’s post and the news report.
Taiwan-based Foxconn is a key contract manufacturer for Apple devices, including the latest iPhone 17, and is expected to play a central role in Apple’s gradual shift of production from China to India.
Once fully operational, the Bengaluru area facility is expected to have the capacity to manufacture up to 20 million iPhones annually.
Over the past 12 months, iPhones worth $22 billion have been assembled in India, with the country now accounting for nearly 20 per cent of Apple’s total global iPhone production.
