Apple CEO Tim Cook lands in India, to discuss a wider local menu with govt

Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook is likely to deliberate on the company’s plans to manufacture more products such as earphones and smart watches and export them from India apart from iPhones, build the component eco-system and even start local production and sourcing of manufacturing equipment through its partners in the country during his proposed meeting with the government.

On the cards are plans to start production of audio products such as headphones and earphones, smart watches and even iPads with both its existing partners and new third-party manufacturers in India with whom Apple has already initiated discussions.

“Cook will outline Apple’s production and export plans from India where iPhones will be the centre piece but will also include other products. Apple also wants to build a component eco-system in India across products it will manufacture and equipment used for manufacturing its products. He will share how these will increase job creation in the country,” said a senior industry official.




An email sent to Apple remained unanswered till Monday press time.

Cook on Monday afternoon arrived in Mumbai and in the evening posted a picture on his Twitter account from the company's first owned store in the country in Mumbai. The Mumbai store will be opened on Tuesday morning followed by the second outlet in New Delhi on Thursday morning. He is also scheduled to meet senior ministers including prime minister Narendra Modi. Cook had met the PM on his previous visit to the country in 2016.

According to industry sources, Apple is estimated to have clocked 50% share of smartphone exports from India valued at about $5.5 billion or Rs 45,000 crore. Estimates claim that Apple makes almost 7% of its iPhones in India through three partners – Foxconn, Wistron and Pegatron. All three manufacturers are approved under the government’s production-linked incentive scheme for smartphones.

India has consistently been one of the best-performing markets for Apple for more than six years. Apple sold about 6.7 million units of iPhones in India in 2022, up from 4.8 million units in 2021 and 2.7 million units in 2020, as per IDC data.

Cook in a statement on Monday said India has such a beautiful culture and an incredible energy, and we’re excited to build on our long-standing history — supporting our customers, investing in local communities, and working together to build a better future with innovations that serve humanity.

The company said its app developers in India together have created more than one million jobs while App Store payouts to developers in the country have more than tripled since 2018.