Apple lobbies for India incentives

Apple Inc is angling to participate in a new scheme to boost India’s exports of computer products, part of what government and industry sources say are plans to bring ipad tablet manufacturing to the country. India launched a $6.7 billion plan to boost smartphone exports last year. Apple, which has steadily raised production of iphones in India to lessen its dependence on Chinese manufacturing, took part in that scheme via its contract manufacturers. Now the government is preparing to unveil another incentive to drive local manufacturing, three sources said. The new performance-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, which offers cash-back to manufacturers for exports, will have a budget of up to ₹70 billion over five years, the sources said. It’s expected to be launched by the end of February. Apple declined to comment for this story.