For the past six months, Apple has been mulling over the decision to not only set up exclusive retail stores but a manufacturing facility in the country as well. It has been looking to secure incentives(or concessions) from the government authorities in an attempt to bring its facilities to India.
Continuing its fight against the country’s stringent regulations, the Cupertino giant is now asking the government to relax labelling laws that require smartphone makers to print product-related info directly onto devices. Apple doesn’t want to lose the majestic touch and clutter its minimalistic design with info on the backside of the iPhone. It has instead urged them to allow the printing of product info on the iPhone’s packing or somewhere inside iOS, reports ET.
This request from the company falls under the concessions it has asked with regard to its intentions of setting up a manufacturing facility in the country. Apple had initially filed a request for the same with the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) but it has since been forwarded to the Department of Revenue and Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeITY). The company states that it strives to keep the outer surface of the iPhone clean as the design language of their phones is integral to the product appeal.
Relaxing the labelling laws is just one of the several incentives which the Cupertino giant has been trying to convince the govt to rule in their favor, for them to start manufacturing devices in India. After being thoroughly examined by the finance ministry, it had also sought out tax incentives and subsidies for investments in special economic zones. It was looking to woo investors using their local credibility and it might soon to fruition since the local manufacturing talks have caught heat just recently.
Apple also tried to gain exemption from the compulsory 30 percent local sourcing norms in the name of ‘cutting-edge’ technology but their application was rejected by the govt authorities. Tim Cook himself visited India to chat with Narendra Modi about the company’s plans with regard to the PM’s Make in India schemes. But there has been no development with regard to the same in the months past his visit. It’s plan to sell refurbished phones in the country has also been rejected, so they’re looking for other means to tap the second largest mobile market.
