Directly expressing her response, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said she is not in the favour of Apple’s proposal of selling refurbished phones in India.
At a time time when the Finance Ministry has rejected the waiver mandatory local sourcing for the Apple Inc., the Commerce Ministry has affirmed that it will push the case of this revolutionary tech-makers, and a concord decision is expected to be announced shortly.
Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
Sitharaman has suggested that 30 per cent of the local sourcing requirements can be ceded off for the expensive technology products.
She cleared her point saying, “We are not talking about the changing rule of manufacturing. We’re just saying let’s be clear on single-brand retailing.”
The Finance Ministry is clearly against letting the 30 per cent of the domestic sourcing norms as explained by Apple, who take the pride in creating world-class and “state of art” products for which the resident sourcing is not possible.
Sitharaman was further quite blunt and straight on her views of prohibiting the sale of refurbished iPhones and their respective sale in India. Saying, “We would not be in the favour of whatever you may call them- used but refurbished, remodelled, updated… used goods. We are not in the favour of bringing them here.”
In accordance to the much anticipated start-ups in the country the Commerce Ministry has reconciled to the Finance Ministry to higher the tax holiday for start-ups from minimum three years to seven years.
“Now, the Finance Ministry has already taken a different position, we will certainly talk to them…I want more clarity on that.. We will take and make sure that sooner we will come out with the same decision. Why do you want something which is not going to change anyway the parameter in the market and therefore we want to explain it out to the Finance Ministry.” Sitharaman explained.
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