Apple CEO Tim Cook To Meet PM Modi On Key India Visit: What's On Agenda

Apple CEO Tim Cook is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the country to launch the iPhone maker’s first two retail stores, according to a report by Reuters.

What Happened? The report, which cited unnamed sources, said that Cook would also hold discussions with Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Deputy IT Minister. The meetings are part of Apple’s increased focus on India, as the company seeks to diversify its assembly operations beyond China.

Cook’s visit comes as India has been pushing to attract Apple’s manufacturing partners, such as Foxconn Technology Group and Pegatron. A separate Bloomberg report earlier this year highlighted that Apple had sought a meeting with PM Modi in this context. Cook first visited India in 2016.

See also: Apple’s India Expansion Plans Are Off To A Flyer Even Before All Chips Are Laid As Revenue Soars To $6B

Apple’s retail stores in Mumbai and Delhi are set to open this week, marking the company’s entry into the world’s second-largest smartphone market. The stores have been a long time coming, as India’s strict rules require global brands to source a significant portion of the goods sold in their own-brand outlets from within the country.

According to industry body – India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) data, iPhones accounted for 50% of the overall $9 billion (₹73,772.96 crore) worth of smartphones exported from India between April 2022 and February 2023.

The Apple BKC store in Mumbai had a private event on Monday and opened to the public on Tuesday. The company’s second outlet in India will be inaugurated on Thursday at Saket in Delhi.

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