Tim Cook opens Apple’s first India store in Mumbai

Vishwam Sankaran
Updated ·3 min read
2

Tim Cook has officially inaugurated Apple’s first retail store in India in his first trip to the country in seven years.

Social media videos showed Mr Cook waving at large crowds of Apple fans and potential customers outside the store in Mumbai, India’s financial hub.

The store is located at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai’s main business district.

“The energy, creativity, and passion in Mumbai is incredible! We are so excited to open Apple BKC – our first store in India,” Mr Cook tweeted.

The store’s grand opening was preceded by an event that featured local music and folk dance performances.

The hype around the tech giant’s products was exemplified at the opening by its fans.

One of them carried a vintage Apple computer which he said he bought in 1984 – a watershed year for the company that aired its iconic George Orwell-themed Super Bowl commercial directed by Ridley Scott that advertised the first Macintosh personal computer.

The fan posed with Mr Cook and his Macintosh for a photo.

Apple’s chief executive officer Tim Cook welcomes consumers at the opening of the first Apple shop in Mumbai (EPA)
Apple’s chief executive officer Tim Cook welcomes consumers at the opening of the first Apple shop in Mumbai (EPA)

Apple is set to follow up the new store’s launch with another store that will open in national capital Delhi on April 20.

The company was earlier unable to open a physical brick-and-mortar store in India because of regulatory restrictions around single-brand retail. The tech giant has until now sold its products via Indian partners like Imagine and Future World.

During Mr Cook’s first trip to India in seven years, he also met Bollywood star Madhuri Dixit.

In the new stores, sales will reportedly be less prioritised, allowing for prospective customers to try Apple’s different products, including its iPhones and MacBooks.

The idea is to introduce more Indians to the Apple ecosystem.

The new stores have staff the company calls “Apple Geniuses” who can guide customers and offer technical advice to learn how to use the products.

The stores signal Apple’s growth in its business operations in India, with the company attempting to grow its supply chain outside China.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail and People greet people at the inauguration of India’s first Apple retail store (REUTERS)
Apple CEO Tim Cook and Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail and People greet people at the inauguration of India’s first Apple retail store (REUTERS)

Since Apple began manufacturing the iPhone in India in 2017, the country has accounted for about 5 per cent production of the company’s iconic smartphones.

“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,” the company said in a statement.

“India has such a beautiful culture and an incredible energy, and we’re 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,” said Mr Cook.