India reluctant to give special tax incentives to Apple

[January 05, 2017] ( Reuters) - India is resisting Apple Inc.'s <AAPL.O> demand for tax incentives to make iPhones in the country, with the trade minister saying on Thursday that New Delhi may not make exceptions for the U.S. tech giant.

A salesman checks a customer's iPhone at a mobile phone store in New Delhi, India, July 27, 2016. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

Apple wants to open its own stores in India but has been asked by the government to locally source at least some of the components, as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bid to boost manufacturing in the country.

Apple has sought tax concessions, including lower import and manufacturing duties, to make iPhones locally, according to a government official familiar with the situation.

Trade Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said if India were to agree to any concessions, they would likely apply to all smart phone manufacturers, and not just Apple.

Smartphone component maker Wistron Corp <3231.TW>, which counts Apple Inc among its customers, has applied for permission to expand its plant in Bengaluru, a regional government official told Reuters on Monday.

Apple declined to comment.

(Reporting by Manoj Kumar and Mayank Bhardwaj; editing by Susan Thomas)

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