India on Wednesday rejected Apple Inc’s proposal to import used iPhones, citing rules against sourcing used electronics from abroad. “India does not encourage dumping or recycling of hazardous materials,” a spokesman for India’s Telecom Ministry, NN Kaul, said.
Domestic smartphone manufacturers had opposed Apple’s plan, claiming that selling used iPhones would go against anti-dumping laws in the country. The Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association had written to the Telecom Ministry in an attempt to stop the move, Reuters reported.
Apple sells what it calls refurbished iPhones in a few countries, including the United States. Refurbished iPhones are those that buyers have returned or those that were repaired to factory condition after damage. The American tech giant had planned to introduce the system in India as well, as part of efforts to revive falling sales.
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