A team from Apple will meet a group of India’s senior officials from ministries, including IT and finance, on Jan. 25 to discuss its demands for setting up a manufacturing unit in the country, according to BGR.
Officials from departments of commerce, industrial policy and promotion (DIPP), revenue, environment and forest, electronics and information technology (DeITY) will reportedly take part in the discussions. In a communication to the government, Apple has asked for several tax and other incentives, including long-term duty exemptions, to enter the manufacturing sector in India. However, BGR — quoting unnamed “sources” — said the technology major should set up the manufacturing unit in India without seeking additional support.
Last month it was reported that Apple wants the government of India to relax labelling rules so that it doesn’t have to print product-related information directly onto devices to avoid cluttering up their minimalist design. That’s one of the concessions Apple has sought after expressing its intention to according to The Economic Times.
India’s finance ministry rejected an earlier proposal by Apple to set up wholly owned outlets in the country that sought exemption from the compulsory 30% local sourcing norm. The company had sought the exemption on the grounds that it was bringing “state-of-the-art” and “cutting-edge technology,” making it difficult to meet the sourcing condition.
In June it was reported that India wants a commitment from Apple to bring manufacturing facilities to the country before the government will approve the company’s request to open its own retail stores. Getting a foothold in India has been a challenge for Apple. The company has opened its retail stores in a number of countries around the world, but not in India. The country has restrictive real estate investment laws for foreign companies.
