India puts brakes on Apple’s plans to import and sell second-hand phones

In a huge blow, Indian government rejected Apple’s plan to import and sell second-hand phones in the country, a move to curb dumping e-waste.

This can be a setback for Apple, which sees India as a bright spot and was mulling to increase the sales of its iPhones under its expansion plans.
Apple CEO Tim Cook is looking to focus the US-based company’s energies in India, a nation in which the iPhone maker saw gains despite a global decline in 13 years.

READ ALSO: Apple is focusing all its energy in India like never before as Tim Cook sees huge market

Earlier, the Department of Electronics and Information Technology had red flagged Apple’s plans to sell refurbished iPhones as it would contribute to e-waste dumping.

Apple is aggressively competing with market leader Samsung.

Cook had said India is important for the technology giant and it is "really putting energy" in the South Asian nation that will begin rolling out high-speed wireless broadband networks this year.

"India will be the most populous country in the world in 2022. India today has about 50% of their population at 25 years of age or younger. It's a very young country. People really want smartphones there," he said.