Tata iPhone supplier faces pollution allegations in southern India

India's environmental authorities have accused a Tata Electronics factory that manufactures iPhone components of contaminating groundwater used by nearby farmers.

India’s environmental authorities have accused a Tata Electronics factory that manufactures iPhone components of contaminating groundwater used by nearby farmers. The company has been warned that its facility could face closure if it fails to provide a satisfactory explanation regarding the alleged violations.

The factory, located in Hosur in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, plays a major role in Apple’s manufacturing network in India. Tata Electronics has become one of Apple’s most important suppliers in South Asia as the technology giant continues efforts to reduce its dependence on production facilities in China. The company is currently Apple’s second-largest supplier in the region after Taiwan-based Foxconn.

The controversy began after local farmers raised concerns about wastewater from the factory affecting agricultural land and nearby open wells. According to reports, residents had been submitting complaints to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board for several months, claiming that waste released from the facility was damaging water resources used for farming.

The complaints prompted environmental officials to conduct five separate inspections between December 2025 and May 2026. Findings from those inspections were outlined in a notice issued by the pollution control board on May 25. The document stated that wastewater from the factory had been discharged into a rainwater harvesting pond located inside the industrial complex.

Authorities allege that the pond eventually overflowed, allowing contaminated water to seep into neighboring agricultural areas and groundwater sources. Officials also claimed that Tata Electronics failed to implement corrective measures despite receiving earlier instructions from the pollution board in December 2025.

In response, Tata Electronics rejected the allegations. The company said it had commissioned an independent environmental assessment through an accredited laboratory. According to Tata, the study concluded that the factory was operating in compliance with all applicable environmental regulations.

The company also emphasized its commitment to responsible business operations and environmental protection. Tata stated that it had already responded to the concerns raised by authorities but did not disclose details of its explanation.

The pollution control board has nevertheless demanded further clarification from the company. Officials warned that failure to address the issues could result in electricity being disconnected to the facility and operations being suspended.

Apple has not publicly commented on the matter. The Tamil Nadu state government also declined to respond to media inquiries regarding the investigation.

The case adds to a series of challenges that have affected Apple’s supply chain in India in recent years. In September 2024, a fire at the same Tata facility temporarily disrupted the production of iPhone components. Earlier, a fire at an iPhone manufacturing plant operated by former Apple supplier Pegatron caused production delays and shutdowns.

India’s industrial sector has frequently faced scrutiny from environmental regulators. Government data presented to parliament earlier this year showed that thousands of industries had violated environmental standards over the past five years, leading to enforcement actions and factory closures in several cases.

The latest allegations against Tata Electronics could place additional pressure on Apple’s manufacturing expansion plans in India, where the company has increasingly invested in building a stronger supply network.