Men ride on motorbikes past an Apple iPhone SE advertisement billboard in Mumbai, India, April 26, 2016. REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade - RTX2BSZS

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Apple Inc has begun assembling its low-priced iPhone SE at its contract manufacturer’s plant in the technology hub of Bengaluru in southern India, the company said in a statement.

Cupertino, California-based Apple, is keen to boost its market share in one of the world’s fastest growing mobile phone markets as sales lag in Asian powerhouse China.

“We are beginning initial production of a small number of iPhone SE in Bengaluru,” Apple said in the statement, adding the phone would be available locally for sale this month.

In February, Reuters reported that Apple’s Taiwanese manufacturing partner Wistron Corp will assemble the iPhone SE in India by April-end or beginning of May.