SRIPERUMBUDUR, India: Foxconn's chief executive defended its hiring practices on Saturday after New Delhi ordered an investigation. Earlier, Reuters reported that the Apple supplier was rejecting married women from iPhone assembly.

“Foxconn hires regardless of gender, but women make up a large part of our workforce here,” Young Liu said during the opening ceremony of a housing complex for its workers near Chennai in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

“I want to stress that married women are making a huge contribution to our efforts here,” he added, making his first comment since the Reuters investigation.

Liu did not answer questions from the media at the dormitory complex, which the state government says is “exclusive” to 18,720 Foxconn workers. The multi-story dormitory buildings are located near the iPhone factory.

The Reuters investigation, published in June, found that Foxconn systematically excluded married women from jobs at its main iPhone assembly plant in India, arguing that they had more family responsibilities than their unmarried colleagues.

Foxconn acknowledged some lapses in its hiring practices in 2022 and said it had worked to fix the problems, but added that it “strongly rejects allegations of discrimination in hiring.”

The story sparked television debates and newspaper commentary. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government asked Tamil Nadu to submit a “detailed report” on the matter, and its labor representatives also visited the iPhone factory to question executives. New Delhi has not yet released any results.

Foxconn told labor authorities that its main iPhone factory in India employs 41,281 people, including 33,360 women. Of these women, about 2,750, or about 8 percent, are married.

There was no breakdown of staff numbers by specific areas, such as iPhone assembly, where Reuters said discrimination occurred.

Foxconn has expanded in India in recent years, where it makes iPhones and products for other smartphone brands and plans to enter the AirPods and chip manufacturing business.

During his ongoing visit, Liu met Modi and many senior Indian officials and discussed Foxconn's investment plans.