Apple has announced a program to cut plastic pollution in India, and will partner with local firms to expand renewable energy capacity in the country.

Following its 2026 Environmental Progress Report, Apple has announced further efforts in India to help toward the company's goal of being carbon neutral by 2030. The company has announced a series of projects including one expanding on its previous partnership with India's CleanMax renewable energy supplier.

"At Apple, our commitment to the environment is also a driving force for innovation — across the company and around the world," Sarah Chandler, Apple's vice president of Environment and Supply Chain Innovation said in a statement. "We're proud to expand our efforts to invest in India's clean energy economy and protect the country's precious natural resources."

Renewable energy and cutting plastic pollution

Apple says that it is initially investing INR 100 croro, approximately $10.5 million, to develop over 150 megawatts of new renewable capacity. That amount would power 150,000 average Indian households per year, and Apple says there is "opportunity to further expand in the coming years."

At the same time, Apple is also partnering with WWF-India on "recovery-focused recycling and waste management." It's an expansion of WWF-India's current efforts to reduce the impact of plastic in local ecosystems, and Apple's investment will bring the efforts to more regions.

Green entrepreneurship

The company is also increasing its support for the Acumen organization's Energy for Livelihoods Accelerator program. This work is targeted at helping small farmers reduce crop losses through having better, low-cost storage options.

It also supporting the building of electric refrigerated trucks for food and medicine. Plus it is creating new jobs by enabling women to become EV drivers and entrepreneurs.

Apple is also supporting new Acumen projects that are set to provide catalytic grants to six green enterprises. Through mentorship and technical assistance, this project aims to help promising businesses scale up.

These new efforts also follow Apple's work in 2022 on protecting India's coastal mangrove population. In 2023, Apple also supported work improving India's water systems.

Aside from the continued environmental work in the country, India has become increasingly important to Apple as it moves iPhone production away from China. The move is partly because of US/China trade tensions, and partly to ensure Apple is no longer reliant on just one source for its manufacturing.

Apple first began manufacturing iPhones in India in 2017, but that was solely for local sales and to avoid import taxes. More recently, the country has been working to create greater incentives for Apple to produce more in India.

As of March 2026, it is estimated that a quarter of all iPhones worldwide are now made in India.