Tim Cook to open first retail stores in India

India's strict regulations for global brands have posed challenges for Apple, which requires them to source a significant portion of their goods from within the country to open own-brand outlets. However, with increasing sales of iPhones in the country and India's sales reaching an all-time high, Apple aims to tap into India's growing market and use it as a manufacturing base. This diversification is particularly important as the company looks to move beyond China for assembly operations.

Cook's visit to India coincides with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's push for electronics manufacturing in India and the incentives he has offered to attract Apple's manufacturing partners. Cook had previously emphasized the importance of India as a market and production base for Apple, expressing his bullishness on the country's potential.

The opening of these retail stores in Mumbai and Delhi marks a significant milestone in Apple's expansion plans in India. The move underscores the company's efforts to tap into India's potential as a growth market and manufacturing hub, with increasing sales and exports from the country, along with government incentives to attract investment in the electronics manufacturing sector.