Apple's Tim Cook, other CEOs meet with India's Prime Minister in Washington

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in General Discussion
Apple CEO Tim Cook was reportedly one of 21 U.S. corporate leaders who attended a roundtable with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington, D.C. on Sunday.

Modi arriving in the U.S. earlier on Sunday. | Image Credit: The Economic Times
Modi arriving in the U.S. earlier on Sunday. | Image Credit: The Economic Times


The executives asked Modi about topics like the Indian economy after demonetization, and his "Make in India" program designed to spur local manufacturing, according to The Economic Times. The Prime Minister, meanwhile, made statements of his own, for instance talking about a goods and services tax, and claiming that over 7,000 steps have been taken to make it easier for foreign firms to invest and operate in his country.

Some other technology executives at the event -- hosted at the Willard InterContinental hotel -- included Adobe's Shantanu Narayen, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Cisco's John Chambers, and Google's Sundar Pichai.

On Monday Modi is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, who on Twitter said the pair will discuss "important strategic issues."

Apple currently controls just 3 percent of the Indian smartphone market, mostly as a result of rivals like Samsung beating the company on price. Over 75 percent of the phones sold in the country cost less than $250, and 95 percent less than $500 -- well below the price of an iPhone 7.

In March, a 32 gigabyte iPhone 6 went on sale in the region for $435. The iPhone SE can be cheaper though, and may become more affordable thanks to the recent launch of Indian production. Apple reportedly asked for a number of government concessions before setting up shop.

Local assembly should eventually pave the way for the country's first Apple stores, since it will allow the company to meet sourcing requirements for foreign single-brand retailers.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 5
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,728member
    First comment to be made at meeting.  'Yes Virginia, there is global warming!'

  • Reply 2 of 5
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    MacPro said:
    First comment to be made at meeting.  'Yes Virginia, there is global warming!'

    But is it the result of human activity?
  • Reply 3 of 5
    boredumbboredumb Posts: 1,418member
    lkrupp said:
    MacPro said:
    First comment to be made at meeting.  'Yes Virginia, there is global warming!'
    But is it the result of human activity?
    Only in Virginia...
    Clearly, humans aren't responsible for cyclical climate changes,
    but that doesn't let us off the hook for exacerbating and hastening the inevitable.
    Don't worry, though, there'll always be sand somewhere for us to bury our heads in -
    Although, it just might be in Missouri, instead of Virginia...
  • Reply 4 of 5
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,404member
    Please stop with the crap. 

    Don't derail the thread, people. 
  • Reply 5 of 5
    boredumbboredumb Posts: 1,418member
    Please stop with the crap. 
    Don't derail the thread, people. 
    Please post sooner, then, so we'll have some idea what the thread was supposed to have been...
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