New Delhi/IBNS: American tech giant Apple is all set to expand its manufacturing footprint in India by making high-end iPhone "Pro" models in the country for the first time, reports MoneyControl.

In 2017, Apple began iPhone production in India with the original iPhone SE, and since then, the tech major has progressively increased its manufacturing activities in the South Asian nations, assembling models such as the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14.

However, the making of these iPhone models in India started several months after their global launch.

This changed with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus as these models were produced and available in India from day one of their worldwide release.

Apple, now, apparently plans to manufacture the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max in India later this year.

According to reports, the assembly of the iPhone 16 Pro models will be managed by Apple's long-standing partner, Foxconn, at its Sriperumbudur unit in Tamil Nadu.

The Sriperumbudur facility of Taiwanese tech major Foxconn will soon start the New Product Introduction (NPI) process, with mass production slated to begin once the devices launch, as per reports.

This move by Apple is part of the company's broader strategy to diversify its supply chain away from China and enhance its manufacturing capabilities in India, reports said.

Last week, it was reported that the California-headquartered tech company is also eyeing plans to begin iPad production in India for the first time, while the company is rumored to have plans to start manufacturing AirPods in India starting later this year.