Apple opens first retail store in India; CEO Tim Cook welcomes the first customer

Apple CEO Tim Cook opened the doors of the first Apple physical retail store in India. On Tuesday, thousands of Apple fans and tech enthusiasts gathered at Bandra Kurla Complex to witness the opening of India's first Apple store.

Apple opens first retail store in India

Opened in Mumbai's Jio World Drive in Bandra Kurla Complex, the tech giant has named its India store as Apple BKC, which has been officially opened by its CEO, Tim Cook.

Why did Apple choose Mumbai?

"India has such a beautiful culture and incredible energy, and we’re excited to build on our long-standing history," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a press release published on Monday. Also on Monday, Apple's CEO took to a microblogging site and shared a picture of himself with team members at the new Apple store on Monday."Hello. Mumbai! We can't wait to welcome our customers to the new Apple BKC," he tweeted.

Moving forward with the same strategy that was once used in China, which has now become one of the Apple company's biggest markets, analysts say that Apple is looking to carry out the same in India to boost sales and manufacturing of the iPhone.

But why did Apple choose Mumbai? According to the company, it chose Mumbai as it is "one of the most energy efficient" places in the world, has a dedicated solar energy system, and has zero reliance on fossil fuels for the store's operations. Apple's venture into the Indian market will allow the US technology giant the opportunity to increase its profitability and sales near the levels seen in markets like the US and China, per the experts. Last year, the company shipped around 6.5 million iPhones in India in 2022, compared to around 50 million each year in both the US and China.

After Mumbai, Apple to open another store in Delhi's Saket

After Mumbai, Apple will open another store in Delhi's Saket area inside Select Citywalk mall. The store is named Apple Saket and will open to the public on April 20 at 11 a.m. As per the reports, the Apple store in Saket will be relatively smaller compared to Mumabi's BKC store. People can buy new Apple products at Apple BKC, get after-sales support, and learn more about using them in free "Today at Apple" sessions.