Apple currently does not have much market share in India, but with a population of 1.38 billion people I'm sure they'd like to. They've been making iPhone SEs in India for a while now.

This report [1] says they ended calendar year 2020 with 2.4% market share and increased it to 4.4% in 2021.

[1] https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/corporate/story/exclusiv...

With over a billion people, you don’t even need a massive market share to have a massive market.

> They've been making iPhone SEs in India for a while now.

They've been making 11s,12s in the same plant in the OP

The 13 production started only now.

Nope, They have a single digit percentage market share in India. Whether that is shipment or actual usage. So in order to have a lower price / import tax they need to start manufacturing more components in India.

I think this will be an interesting development. Give the high $-to-INR rate, and prices of apple products, it will always be a hard sell. Indian consumers won't be eager to spend multiple paychecks on iPhones and don't see Apple dropping prices. Unstoppable force, meet immovable object.

I am not sure why they are making this move, what are their goals for doing so.

India has a huge middle class even if it is a small part of its total population. iPhones won't be popular with tuktuk drivers, but a techy, no problem.

iPhone SE’s are also only $400 now in the US. That should be closing in on the price of other Androids in India.

That’s mid range. Budget phones can be less than 10000 Rs ($130), which is still about 1/3 the median monthly salary.