By Cherylann Mollan, BBC News, Mumbai

Tech giant Google will soon begin making its Pixel smartphones in India, sources aware of the development have told the BBC.

Google is set to manufacture the phones at an existing Foxconn facility in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

The firm is also set to independently manufacture drones in the state.

India has emerged as a key destination for global firms looking to diversify supply lines outside China in the midst of geopolitical tensions with the West.

Last year, Google had announced plans to make Pixel smartphones in India, beginning with the Pixel 8.

“India is a priority market for Pixel smartphones, and we’re committed to bringing the best of our hardware and underlying built-in software capabilities to people across the country,” it said in a blog post.

On Friday, sources told the BBC that Alphabet’s Google would make advanced versions of Pixel smartphones at the Tamil Nadu facility and that manufacturing would begin within this calendar year.

Google and Foxconn have signed a contract to this end, the source said.

Foxconn currently has two facilities in Tamil Nadu. At one of its facilities near Chennai city, it assembles Apple’s iPhones.

Google’s decision to make Pixel phones in Tamil Nadu came after state officials met company executives recently.

According to a statement from the Tamil Nadu government, officials from Google are also set to meet state Chief Minister MK Stalin in Chennai soon.