The Tata Group is reportedly in advanced talks with Pegatron, a key supplier for Apple Inc., to set up a second iPhone manufacturing unit in Tamil Nadu.

This move is seen as a major boost to Apple’s efforts to localise its supply chain and strengthen its partnership with Tata. It will be Tata’s second facility in India after the Karnataka facility that was taken over from Wistron.

The proposed plant is expected to accommodate around 20 assembly lines and aims to employ around 50,000 workers within the next two years.

The site is likely to be operational within 12-18 months. This comes on the heels of Tamil Nadu signing investment pacts worth more than $4.39 billion with firms such as Apple suppliers Tata Electronics and Pegatron, as well as auto major Hyundai Motors.

This joint venture between Tata and Pegatron could help Tata speed up the process and enhance its standing as an iPhone manufacturer.