First stores in India mark company's major expansion in country: Apple

As it celebrates more than 25 years in India, iPhone-maker Apple on Monday said its first two stores in the country to be opened this week mark a major expansion plan of the company.

The two Apple stores are coming up in Mumbai and Delhi.

"This week, as Apple celebrates more than 25 years in India, the company is marking a major expansion with the opening of its first Apple Store locations in the country, along with new environmental initiatives and a key milestone in the rapidly growing community of Indian developers," the company said in a statement.

Apple will open its first store on April 18 in Mumbai, which will be immediately followed by launch of its second official store in Delhi on April 20.

Both the stores have been designed to resonate with local look and feel, Apple said.

"India has such a beautiful culture and an incredible energy, and we are excited to build on our long-standing history supporting our customers, investing in local communities, and working together to build a better future with innovations that serve humanity," Apple CEO Tim Cook said.

Apple exports from India are estimated to have crossed $ 5 billion in the financial year 2022-23 which is about half of the total exports of "Made In India" phones.

The company started manufacturing iPhones in India in 2017 through its contract manufacturers.

"Apple's work with Indian suppliers of all sizes supports hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country," the statement said.

The company also said that it works one-on-one with developers to help take their apps from "good to great" at the iOS App Design and Development Accelerator in Bengaluru.

"India's vibrant community of app developers now supports more than one million jobs. A testament to the tremendous growth of developers in India, App Store payouts to developers in the country have more than tripled since 2018," the statement added.