According to institutional data, by 2025, India is anticipated to produce 55 million iPhones, constituting around 25% of Apple's global output of 220 million units. This share is expected to rise above 26% by 2026 and potentially exceed 30% in the long run.

Beyond the growing production volume, Apple has also commenced the simultaneous manufacturing of both standard and Pro versions of iPhones in India. At present, only the foldable iPhone Duo is not produced in India.

Numerous individuals are of the opinion that 'Made in India' will inevitably carve out a portion of the market currently held by 'Made in China' and may eventually supplant it entirely.

Certainly, there will be some market share transferred, which is an undeniable fact. However, asserting that 'Made in India' will completely replace 'Made in China' is premature. Many observers only scratch the surface and fail to grasp the true nature of 'Made in India' and the genuine disparities between it and 'Made in China'.

Without overstatement or disparagement, as it stands, Apple's 'Made in India' is merely an extension of 'Made in China', functioning solely as an assembler and screw tightener, no more, no less.

What constitutes the core competitiveness of 'Made in China'? It lies in its 'comprehensiveness' and 'scale', as well as its 'speed' and 'talent'.

The terms 'comprehensiveness' and 'scale' refer to China being the sole nation globally with a complete industrial chain, encompassing all 41 major industrial categories, 207 medium categories, and 666 minor categories as classified by the United Nations.

China is the only country in the world that encompasses all industrial categories and boasts an ultra-large-scale market. If a product you seek cannot be found in China, it is improbable to be discovered elsewhere in the world.

The terms 'speed' and 'talent' denote the capability of Chinese manufacturing to iterate products on a semi-annual, quarterly, or even weekly basis, with the supply chain responding in tandem. This advantage stems from the complete industrial chain.

Moreover, China possesses a vast reservoir of science and engineering talent, capable of meeting the demands of enterprises with both sufficient numbers and diverse skill sets.

Consequently, Apple's manufacturing operations in China extend beyond mere assembly. In Apple's supply chain, China accounts for a staggering 50%. These enterprises supply Apple with a broad array of products, facilitating Apple's iterative upgrades.

In stark contrast, 'Made in India' presents a vastly different scenario. The manufacturing of iPhones in India relies almost exclusively on importing most components from China, followed by final assembly in India.

Thus, the entire process remains an extension of 'Made in China', with India solely responsible for the final screw tightening step. The supply of more critical and core components, engineering management, and upstream and downstream support are all predominantly controlled by China. India merely completes the final assembly step under China's guidance, nothing more.

Therefore, the notion that 'Made in India' will supplant 'Made in China' is, at least for the present, a farce. India has only secured the final task of screw tightening and assembly, while failing to acquire any of the preceding crucial tasks.