Apple’s partnership with India is expanding in almost every way, said Priya Balasubramaniam, vice president of product operations at Apple, while speaking at the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) 2021 on Thursday.
Priya, a native of Bengaluru began her speech with Kannada congratulating the Karnataka Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai and team for hosting the world-class conclave-like BTS.
"It is a special privilege to represent Apple at a gathering in Bengaluru. Although I’m speaking to you from Apple Park in California, I feel as if I am returning home. I see the Bengaluru Tech Summit as an incredible milestone—not only for me personally but for Apple’s growing presence in India," Priya said.
Apple has been in India for two decades and it first began assembling iPhones in Bengaluru in 2017. Apple's supply partners- Wistron Corp, Foxconn, and others-- now have expanded operations to produce multiple iPhone models for both domestic market and for exports.
It should be noted Apple's seven suppliers gained Platinum Zero Waste certification in just six months.
"Manufacturing is being transformed by new technology: Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, augmented and virtual reality, advanced robotics, 3-D printing and so much more. What they add up to is a new form of manufacturing. Some call it Industry 4.0, the fourth Industrial Revolution. We call it smart manufacturing. It is more resource-efficient and more sustainable. It also helps us reduce our environmental impact," Priya noted.
Apple now supports more than one million jobs directly and indirectly through app development support, supplier chains, and allied retail business in India.
Besides the corporate offices in major cities, Apple has set up a Maps development center in Hyderabad and also App Accelerator in Bengaluru. The latter is helping thousands of budding app developers with new tools and technology to refine their products and improve the user experience.
Some of the iOS apps created by Indian developers such as Numerics ( to monitor key metrics like sales numbers or page views across their products), NaadSadhana (Music learning app) have gained global recognition.
Also, Maruti service stations across India allow their customers to use the Scan & Assure app to verify the authenticity of the parts used in car repairs.
Besides selling consumer electronics goods and giving a helping hand to app developers, Apple is also working with local companies such as Hero Cycles with dedicated apps to help manage inventory, sales, and interface with their customers.
Along with the supply chain, Apple is said to be investing significantly in India to develop its operations, expand its reach, and engage with more local suppliers.
"The higher education system in India is one of the best in the world and I’m very proud to say that from my own experience. And here in Karnataka, the government’s policies have already gone a long way toward encouraging business investment and strengthening our workforce. These state-level policies and the government of India’s policies to promote manufacturing, coupled with efforts to support the ecosystem of startups, like NASCOMM’s 10,000 startups initiative, are already advancing us along the path to more opportunities, and more investment, " Priya said.
"We see an exciting opportunity for India to go further and train its emerging workforce in the foundations of smart manufacturing: intelligent design; connected and optimized systems that are agile, proactive, and sustainable," noted Priya.
Last year, Apple opened the official online store, and sells several products such as iPhones, iPads, Macs, Watches, AirTag, and others accessories directly to consumers. Now, that the company is complying with 30 per cent local sourcing of materials for assembling of devices, is slated to open standalone physical Apple Stores in India in the second half of 2021.
Priya's Bengaluru connection
Priya Balasubramaniam, as said before, is a native of Bengaluru, delved on her roots during the speech.
Priya studied Mechanical Engineering at the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE). She was also pursuing a computer programming course at the same time period.
During her studies at UVCE, Priya was assigned to do research work on major technology companies. While most of her peers picked Microsoft, Intel and others, she picked Apple, which back then, had no presence in India.
Her lecturer was a bit confused by Priya's pick and asked her if she was sure about the choice, as it will be difficult to write a paper on a company, which sold no products at that time.
But, Priya, who takes inspiration from Steve Jobs, insisted to work on Apple.
A few years later, Priya got her hands on Apple's colourful Macs for the first time, while pursuing the MBA degree at Michigan State University.
By a happy coincidence, Priya soon landed a dream job at Apple. After two decades, she is now vice president of product operations at Apple.
"Let me tell you as a former engineering student from Bengaluru who discovered her passion for operations: today, there could be millions of students across Karnataka, throughout India, and around the world, staying after class to ask questions about Machine Learning and AI… examining iPhones and MacBooks and wondering how they’re engineered and these sparks of curiosity could ignite the next generation of manufacturing.
These smart young people are the future of smart manufacturing. As a proud member of the Apple team —and as a proud daughter of Karnataka—I am privileged and excited to help play a part in developing that future and I want to thank everyone involved, including the government of India, " Priya concluded.
Priya Balasubramaniam speech at Bengaluru Tech Summit 2021:
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