No decision yet on Apple’s demands to make in India: DIPP

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) is yet to take a decision on certain duty waivers that US-based technology giant Apple had sought to set up manufacturing unit, industry secretary Ramesh Abhishek said on Monday.

''Apple has submitted to us certain issues for consideration. We had a meeting of all the concerned ministries and departments and we have asked them to take a look at those issues and take a view. No ministry has taken a view on any of those issues yet,'' Abhishek said, adding that DIPP is waiting for responses from all the concerned ministries.

According to Abhishek, the government is supporting ''high-value manufacturing'', and would not give exemptions or formulate a policy for a particular company.

''No company-specific decision will be taken. That is very clear,'' he reiterated.

Last month, senior executives of Apple were in India to seek certain incentives from the government, as the company plans to set up manufacturing a unit in the country (See: Tax sops among Apple's many demands to make in India).

The team made a presentation spelling out its plans for India to senior government officials from DIPP, ministries of environment, electronics and information technology and department of revenue.

The company is said to have has sought concessions, including a 15-year customs duty holiday on imports of certain components and a relaxation of the 30-per cent local sourcing norm under the foreign direct investment rules.

With sales tapering in the US and China, Apple is eyeing India - the fastest growing smartphone market in the world - and looking to set up a local manufacturing unit to cut costs. It makes devices through contract manufacturers.

The company sells its products through Apple-owned retail stores in countries like China, Germany, the US, the UK and France, among others. It has no wholly-owned store in India and sells its products through distributors such as Redington and Ingram Micro.