Apple is now in talks with the country’s department of industrial policy and promotion for opening wholly-owned stores.

Like many single-brand retail giants around the world, the company has the option of taking advantage of loosened foreign direct investment rules in India. 

Apple considered entering India back in 2006 with a technical support centre, however, it did not pursue the plan.

“They have not told us how many stores they will open,” an Indian government official said. “We have made the policy. The doors are now open.”

However, the mandatory 30 per cent local sourcing clause of FDI is seen to be an impediment for single brand retailers like Apple to invest fully-owned stores in India.

“Let Apple finalise its business plan and the investment it wants to make. If they tell us that the 30 per cent sourcing is a problem, at that stage we will look into it,” said DIPP official.

Apple products are sold in India through resellers such as iStore and Imagine.

If companies such as Apple open their own retail stores in the country, prices could go down and it could also “up the game in the retail category in the country due to the revolutionary nature of Apple’s retail front end,” said Jaideep Mehta, VP and manager of market research firm IDC India.

Apple traditionally does not comment on rumours of store openings.

GB