First Look: Apple opens its first store in India

Apple has finally brought its retail store concept to the world’s most populous country.

The tech giant on Tuesday opened its first store in India, a flagship in Mumbai. A second location, called Apple Saket, will open on Thursday, in the capital city of New Delhi.  (The Apple brand is not new to India, however, with its products available from third-party sellers for more than 25 years.)  

The openings come as Apple is looking at India as both a consumer market and manufacturing base. Apple is the world's second biggest maker of smartphones, behind Samsung. But it currently has a very small — but growing — share of the market in India, with the iPhone considered too expensive by many people in the country. Apple shipped approximately 6.5 million iPhones in India in 2022, compared to around 50 million each year in both the United States and China, according to Counterpoint Research.

The Mumbai store, called Apple BKC, is located in the city’s bustling Bandra Kurla. Complex financial, arts and entertainment district. It is designed to be one of the most energy-efficient Apple locations in the world, with a dedicated solar array and zero reliance on fossil fuels for store operations.  The store is operationally carbon neutral, running on 100% renewable energy.

A triangular handcrafted timber ceiling that extends beyond the glass façade to the underside of the exterior canopy reflects the unique geometry of the store. The ceiling is made up of 1,000 tiles, with each tile made from 408 pieces of timber.

Upon entering the store, customers are greeted by two stone walls and a 14-meter-long stainless steel staircase that connects the ground level and the cantilevered mezzanine.

“Apple BKC is a reflection of Mumbai’s vibrant culture and brings together the best of Apple in a beautiful, welcoming space for connection and community,” said Deirdre O’Brien, senior VP of retail, Apple.