Apple CEO Tim Cook has completed a five-day visit to India to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Apple’s presence in the country. The visit began with the opening of the first official Apple store in Mumbai on April 18, followed by another in the national capital on April 20. Cook left India with a tweet stating, “What an incredible week in India! Thanks to our teams across the country. I can’t wait to return.”
Apple’s Presence in India
Apple products have been sold in India through exclusive Apple Premium Reseller (APR) stores, large format retail chains, multi-brand retail stores, and e-commerce platforms. The company has over 100 APR stores in India, including one located in the Select CityWalk Mall which had to move to make way for the new Apple Store. Apple began manufacturing iPhones in India in 2017, and the company now exports “Made in India” iPhones. Industry sources estimate that Apple exported iPhones worth $5-5.5 billion in the just-ended financial year 2022-23.
Meetings with Top Business Leaders
During his visit, Cook met with top business leaders including Bharti Group founder and chairman Sunil Mittal, Mukesh Ambani, and N Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons. Cook also met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as Apple seeks to invest more in India. Government sources suggest that the iPhone maker is likely to double the employment base at its contract manufacturers in India to around 200,000 soon. Cook also sought government support to widen its components supplier base in India.
Experience of Indian Culture and Technology
Cook experienced Indian culture and technology during his visit. He visited Delhi’s Lodhi Art District, where he tweeted about the remarkable public space and congratulated the St+art India Foundation for capturing Indian life so powerfully. Cook also took time out to watch an IPL cricket match with Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla, and others. In addition, he met with app developers and experienced their technology. Cook tweeted about his experience with Hitwicket, India’s top-rated cricket app, Prayoga, an AR-based yoga app, and LookUp, an easy-to-use dictionary app. He also shared his experience of “rangoli and kolam designs” made of flower petals, rice, and coloured sand that were captured on the iPhone.
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