India will consider Apple's request for incentives to invest in the country with an "open mind", Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters on Wednesday.

"We will very much like Apple to come and have a base in India," the minister said.

Apple has sent a list of demands to the Indian government, seeking tax concessions and several other policy exceptions, as necessary pre-requisites before it starts production of its iPhones in India.

Earlier this month, Trade Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said if India were to agree to any tax incentives, they would likely apply to all smartphone manufacturers, and not just Apple. Officials have said that an inter-ministerial panel of the trade, electronics and finance ministry could take a final decision.

Apple wants to open its own stores in India, but has been asked by the government to locally source at least some of the components, as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make In India" bid to boost manufacturing.

The tech giant had earlier asked for a permanent relaxation of those rules which call for 30 per cent local sourcing for foreign retailers setting up single-brand outlets, which was rejected by the Finance Ministry. India has relaxed these rules for just three years for single-brand foreign investors.

India had also refused to allow Apple's proposal to import and sell refurbished mobile phones in India.

Apple's Chief Executive Tim Cook met PM Modi last May to talk about its plans to enter the Indian manufacturing and retail space. California's Cupertino-based Apple wants to boost iPhone sales in India, where it has only a roughly 2 per cent market share, as sales in the United States and China slow.

Smartphone component maker Wistron Corp, which counts Apple among its customers, has applied for permission to expand its plant in Bengaluru.

Source: ndtv