The Indian government has decided not to offer special concessions to Apple as part of negotiations as the company looks to build its first manufacturing plants in the country.

According a report in the India Economic Times, New Delhi will instead review its entire policy on mobile manufacturing as part of a wider effort to promote its 'Make in India' initiative. This could meet some of the demands that Apple has made as well as benefit other phone makers, said officials.

indian_flag

India needs to support an iconic brand like Apple for the success of the Make in India campaign, officials said. "Our import duty is high," one of them said. "As long as they are getting into exports, our objective should be to give them lowest duty so as to ensure that their product is competitive. Hence we may even relook at the policy as a whole." Another official said no decision had been taken but that concessions cannot be given to just one company. "Normally, similar dispensation has to be given to others similarly placed," he said.

The issue will be looked at in detail at a high-level meeting between Apple executives and state officials set to take place next week. According to Wednesday's report, representatives from revenue, industry, and IT government departments will consider Apple's requests, which include a 15-year customs duty holiday on the import of iPhone kits, new and used capital equipment, and consumables.

Last year, Apple requested permission to set up its own retail outlets in India without being subject to the state's compulsory 30 percent local sourcing rule, claiming it was bringing cutting edge technology to the country. The ministry of finance denied the request as it did not consider Apple's products to fall into the cutting edge category.

According to officials, India's rationale for looking anew at its own trade policy is that it must follow the same set of principles prevalent elsewhere which have helped businesses become global manufacturers. India is already home to a crowded mobile phones market, with Chinese firms Huawei and Xiaomi among some 42 competing handset makers. Apart from Apple, no other company has approached the government for any incentives, people with knowledge of the matter said.

Update: India will consider Apple's request for incentives to invest in the country with an "open mind", IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has told Reuters this morning. "We will very much like Apple to come and have a base in India," Prasad said.

Tag: India

Top Rated Comments

d5aqoëp Avatar
111 months ago
Excellent. The first Indian government to show some spine and not bending before a large corporation.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HappyDude20 Avatar
111 months ago
Excellent. The first Indian government to show some spine and not bending before a large corporation.
Yes I agree.

Very smart of india to proceed with caution and look after its citizens long term as oppose to making a quick buck.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Aluminum213 Avatar
111 months ago
Good for India for not bending over backwards for Apple


Now imagine if America demanded iPhones and iPads were made in America
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FriednTested Avatar
111 months ago
Yes I agree.

Very smart of india to proceed with caution and look after its citizens long term as oppose to making a quick buck.
Lol. These ****ing illiterate jokers who have formed the current government won't do ****. I'd rather not get into the nitty gritties of the political/government joke we are suffering at the moment on an Apple forum. :p

Trust me when I say that the citizens welfare is the last subject on their mind. For reference do read about the demonetisation blunder. Where the government withdrew 87% of the legal currency without having even 10% of the replacement ready. Which cost over a 100 lives and brought the economy to a halt.
[doublepost=1484756193][/doublepost]
A friend travels to India very often, and the photos she brings back reflect all the misery most of their citizens experiment.
Not everyone there has the privilege of being rich or belonging to a higher caste.
The reality is very sad. These are the people who could benefit from an Apple manufacturing plant.
True, they may not make much money, but at least some money is better than no money.
You are correct. But, alas the current government is extreme right wing and they are increasing the wealth divide along with the caste divide.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rohanparekh Avatar
111 months ago
Lol. These ****ing illiterate jokers who have formed the current government won't do ****. I'd rather not get into the nitty gritties of the political/government joke we are suffering at the moment on an Apple forum. :p

Trust me when I say that the citizens welfare is the last subject on their mind. For reference do read about the demonetisation blunder. Where the government withdrew 87% of the legal currency without having even 10% of the replacement ready. Which cost over a 100 lives and brought the economy to a halt.
[doublepost=1484756193][/doublepost]

You are correct. But, alas the current government is extreme right wing and they are increasing the wealth divide along with the caste divide.
If you really want to talk about current Indian politics schemes and specially on demonetization move, I think you should do more homework. Removing 87% of legal currency in overnight and not having 10% of the replacement ready was an intentional move. Ask yourself, you think government of India is that fool to understand this economy situation? You think current officials are bunch of jokers sitting in parliament and decided to do demonetization move for fun? Do you know the purpose of demonetization operation? 100 lives are gone is not directly connected to demonetization move...but thousands of corrupt people, millions of black money amount and properties has been caught in 50 days(and still counting, which is expected to recover black money in billiions of dollars) are direct related to demonetization.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jaymie1983 Avatar
111 months ago
Apple might be able to exploit some parts of the world, the Indians are wise to hold their ground
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Prime Day Deals on AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, and More

Monday July 7, 2025 10:55 am PDT by
Amazon is back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront. With the event now underway, we're tracking numerous all-time low prices on Apple gear right now. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a...