Apple Inc. has tightened its supervision of iPhone deliveries in India, aiming to curb the re-export of devices to Russia and other regions where the company has paused its operations. This development was reported by the Indian business news platform MoneyControl on Monday.
Authorized distributors in India have alerted retailers that severe penalties may be imposed if newly acquired iPhones are activated with foreign SIM cards within a 90-day window, with a particular emphasis on the newly launched iPhone 17 series.
A communiqué directed at sellers indicated that establishments could incur hefty fines and risk having their identification codes deactivated should there be any evidence of foreign SIM usage, according to MoneyControl. news
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Following the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Apple ceased its official sales in Russia and imposed restrictions on Apple Pay, along with other services.
Nevertheless, new models find their way into the Russian market through unofficial imports and private distributors.
According to reports from MoneyControl, Apple’s iPhone exports from India reached $1.6 billion in October, comprising nearly one-third of the nation’s total smartphone exports and about 40% of its total electronics exports.
Market analysts quoted by the outlet have projected that between 3-5% of iPhone exports depart from India via unofficial channels, with approximately half of these devices destined for Russia.
Other primary destinations for the grey market include nations across Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
Source link: Themoscowtimes.com.
