Tech giant Apple has started production of iPhone XR in India for domestic market and exports, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Monday.

"It is a very proud moment for India...Apple mobile phones being manufactured in India will be used for the domestic market and will be used for exports, the Minister told reporters here.

The minister also said that Salcomp, the world's largest manufacturer and a major supplier of chargers to Apple for iPhone, has purchased closed facility of Nokia in an SEZ near Chennai.

As promised, delighted to receive an iPhone XR, which reads “Designed by Apple in California and Assembled in India”. I expect further expansion of manufacturing in India by #Apple. pic.twitter.com/02QE0f3wS8

— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) November 25, 2019

Salcomp will revive the unit, which was closed for nearly 10 years, and the facility will become operational from March 2020.

This unit will produce chargers and other equipment and will boast of a diversified portfolio. This will entail an investment of Rs 2,000 crore in five years.

Once fully functional, the new unit is expected to generate employment for close to 10,000 people. Salcomp currently operates two units in the same special economic one in Sriperumbudur, where it employs close to 7,000 people.

The Minister added that 70 per cent of products from this SEZ facility will be exported including to China. It will lead to a lot of value addition.