Tim Cook, chief executive of Apple, the US company that makes the world’s popular iPhone, may have a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week. Cook comes to India for the opening of the first Apple retail store. Apple’s share of the country’s smartphone market is just three percent. The company is also increasing the assembly of iPhones through its contract manufacturers.

In the last financial year, the country’s mobile phone export increased to $11.12 billion (about Rs 90,000 crore). Apple’s share in this is about half. Citing sources in the Reuters report, Cook has been said to meet Modi on Wednesday. These sources include a central government official. A source said that Cook will also hold a meeting with the Minister of State for IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar. The Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment on this. The IT Ministry and Apple did not respond to inquiries sent in this regard. The Apple Store in Mumbai is located in the Jio World Drive Mall, owned by Mukesh Ambani, in the Branda Kurla complex.

Apple stores are opening in Mumbai and Delhi. Previously, the company sold its products in the country through resellers or e-commerce websites such as Amazon. The assembly of iPhones in India is done by Apple’s three contract manufacturers: Foxconn, Wistron and Pegatron. The company also plans to start assembling iPads and AirPods in the country.

India is an important market for the company. The company’s sales have reached a high level in the country. Apart from this, Apple has also made preparations to increase iPhone production in India. Apple launched its first online store in the world’s second-largest smartphone market about three years ago. The company said in the statement: “The app developer community in India is providing more than 1 million jobs. This is a testament to the strong growth of developers in the country. App developer payments Store in the country have more than tripled in the past nearly five years.Apple’s second store will be in Delhi’s Saket on April 20. The company has said that these retail stores are a great sign of the company’s expansion into the country.