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Apple’s annual sales in India surpassed $10 billion for the first time, strengthening the country’s position as one of the technology group’s fastest-growing consumer markets.

Revenue for the financial year ended March 2026 rose from nearly $9 billion a year earlier, driven mainly by demand for iPhones, Mac computers and services. The increase came as Apple widened its company-owned retail network, expanded financing options and deepened distribution beyond the largest metropolitan centres.

The performance marks a sharp acceleration from the roughly $8 billion recorded in the year ended March 2024. It also underlines Apple’s ability to gain ground in a price-sensitive market where devices using Google’s Android operating system account for the overwhelming majority of smartphone sales.

The iPhone remained Apple’s largest source of revenue in the country. Sales were supported by premiumisation in the smartphone market, trade-in programmes and instalment plans that reduced the upfront cost of devices. Older iPhone models also continued to attract buyers after price reductions following new product launches.

Apple does not disclose country-level sales in its global financial statements. The India figure reflects sales booked through its local operation and may include products distributed through company stores, online channels, authorised resellers and large electronics chains.

The company now operates six physical stores across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune and Noida. Its latest outlet opened in Borivali, Mumbai, in February, adding to Apple BKC, Apple Saket, Apple Hebbal, Apple Koregaon Park and Apple Noida.

Further retail expansion is being prepared, including another store in Bengaluru. Apple has also been recruiting specialists, technical staff and customer-support employees for multiple locations, indicating that its direct-sales presence will continue to grow.

Company-owned stores offer Apple greater control over pricing, product presentation and after-sales support. They also provide space for training sessions, product demonstrations and technical services, helping the group build customer loyalty in a market where many purchases have traditionally been made through third-party retailers.

The Apple Store online, launched in 2020, remains an important part of the company’s strategy. It allows customers across the country to access trade-ins, custom Mac configurations, education pricing and direct delivery, including in cities without a physical Apple outlet.

Apple’s sales expansion has coincided with a substantial increase in local manufacturing. Contract manufacturers Foxconn and Tata Electronics have raised iPhone assembly capacity, while suppliers are expanding component operations to support a broader production ecosystem.

The country is expected to account for about a quarter of global iPhone production during 2026. Apple has also been working to supply a larger share of devices sold in the United States from factories operated by its partners in the country, reducing dependence on China.

The manufacturing network includes operations in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, with further investment planned in assembly, enclosures, display components and semiconductor-related infrastructure. The expansion is being supported by production incentives and proposed tax concessions for foreign companies supplying equipment to contract manufacturers.

Authorities have proposed extending exemptions covering machinery provided to electronics producers until 2041. The measures are designed to reduce tax uncertainty for global suppliers and encourage longer-term investment in mobile phones, laptops, tablets and wearable devices.

Local production has helped Apple avoid some import duties and improve product availability. However, the company still relies heavily on components sourced from abroad, and manufacturing costs can remain higher than in China because of logistics, tariffs and a less developed supplier base.

India delivered another record quarter for Apple during the three months ended June. Mac sales reached an all-time high in the country, while demand for iPhones and other devices continued to expand.

Globally, Apple reported revenue of $109.42 billion for its fiscal third quarter, up 16 per cent from a year earlier. iPhone revenue climbed 22 per cent to $54.25 billion, while Mac revenue advanced 29 per cent to $10.35 billion.

Despite its growth, Apple remains a relatively small player by unit volume in the country’s smartphone market. Its share is considerably stronger in the premium category, where consumers are showing greater willingness to spend on high-end devices, financing plans and connected services.

Dubai Chamber of Commerce has supported Techies Infotech’s expansion into South Africa, enabling the Dubai-headquartered technology company to establish operations in Johannesburg and Cape Town as part of a wider push into African markets. Techies Infotech registered a local company, opened its South African head office in Johannesburg and established an engineering and technology delivery centre in Cape Town. The expansion followed the company’s participation in a […]

Amazon’s market value crossed $3 trillion for the first time on Monday as accelerating cloud revenue and artificial intelligence demand pushed its shares to a record high. The stock gained about 5% to trade near $285 in New York, valuing the ecommerce and cloud-computing group at roughly $3.08 trillion. The advance extended Amazon’s gain for 2026 to more than 23% and placed it among a small group […]

Denmark will increase its military presence around the Faroe Islands, extending a wider defence buildup designed to strengthen surveillance and operational readiness across the Arctic and North Atlantic. The deployment will bring more Danish armed forces personnel, vessels and aircraft into Faroese waters and airspace, where military activity has traditionally been limited compared with Greenland. Training exercises with NATO partners are also expected to become more frequent […]

Bitcoin’s largest holders have accumulated 19,610 coins since July 29, widening a sharp divide with smaller investors who reduced their exposure after a major security failure involving Coldcard hardware wallets. Wallets holding between 10 and 10,000 Bitcoin increased their combined balances by 0.14 per cent over the period. Addresses containing less than 0.01 Bitcoin cut their holdings by 0.55 per cent, indicating that retail investors were more […]

Aldar Properties recorded an 18% rise in first-half net profit after tax to AED 4.9 billion, as the Abu Dhabi developer converted its substantial project backlog into revenue and expanded income from investment properties. Revenue increased 8% year on year to AED 16.8 billion during the six months ended June, while gross profit rose 17% to AED 6.2 billion. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation advanced […]

Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche has formally cancelled a $1.776 billion “anti-weaponisation” fund after two Republican senators threatened to block his confirmation, removing a major obstacle before a decisive Senate Judiciary Committee vote on Tuesday. The Justice Department order terminated the fund before it became operational. No commissioners had been appointed, no claims had been processed and no money had been transferred. Blanche also clarified that […]

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Most adults surveyed across the country are dissatisfied with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of examination scandals that triggered nationwide student protests and forced major concessions from his government.

Just over half of respondents in a nationwide CVoter survey conducted last week said they were unhappy with the government’s response to leaks involving the national medical entrance examination. The controversy led to the invalidation of results affecting about two million candidates, disrupting admissions and intensifying scrutiny of the country’s testing system.

Disapproval extended into Modi’s political base. Among supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, 40 per cent said the government had not handled the crisis well, while 44 per cent approved of its response. The narrow margin among governing-coalition voters suggests that the examination issue has cut across conventional political loyalties.

The findings present a political challenge for Modi, whose government has promoted education, skills and employment as pillars of its development agenda. Competitive examinations remain one of the principal routes to medical colleges, universities and secure public-sector employment, particularly for candidates from lower-income families.

The protests began after evidence emerged that questions from the medical entrance test had been leaked. The government subsequently annulled the results and organised another examination, requiring candidates to repeat months of preparation while families absorbed additional coaching, travel and accommodation costs.

Students and parents argued that cancellation alone did not address the failures that allowed confidential examination material to circulate. Many demanded criminal accountability, compensation for affected families, structural reform of the National Testing Agency and the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The demonstrations expanded from education-related demands into a wider expression of frustration over youth unemployment, inequality and limited access to stable work. People below the age of 30 are three times more likely to be unemployed than the average citizen, adding economic pressure to a testing system already burdened by intense competition.

At least two dozen examinations have had their results cancelled because of leaks since 2014. The repeated disruptions have damaged confidence in a system through which millions compete for a limited number of medical seats and government positions.

The agitation was spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party, a youth movement whose satirical name was adopted after controversial remarks about unemployed young people. The organisation mobilised candidates, teachers and families through social media before drawing tens of thousands to demonstrations in New Delhi and other cities.

More than 50,000 people were estimated to have joined an attempted march towards Parliament on July 20. Police used batons and tear gas during confrontations with demonstrators, while authorities said officers were injured and maintained that crowd-control measures were necessary.

Images of injured students and allegations of excessive force broadened public sympathy for the campaign. Support came from opposition politicians, actors, educators and professional groups, although organisers sought to present the movement as independent of established political parties.

Pradhan resigned on July 25 after weeks of pressure, marking an unusual retreat by a government that has generally resisted demands for ministerial departures. Protesters celebrated the decision but maintained that changing the minister would have limited value without stronger oversight of examination bodies.

Modi later addressed young people through a video message, promising action against those responsible for paper leaks and saying students who participated in demonstrations should not face punishment. The government also agreed to consider compensation for families of candidates who died by suicide after examination-related disruptions.

Parliament has since debated tighter provisions under the law designed to prevent unfair practices in public examinations. Proposed changes include harsher penalties for organised groups, testing companies and individuals involved in obtaining or distributing examination papers, along with measures intended to accelerate trials.

The government has also announced a panel to review the examination system. Areas requiring attention include the security of question papers, the selection and supervision of testing centres, digital safeguards, grievance procedures and the accountability of private contractors.

Opposition parties have argued that legislation will be ineffective without independent investigations and administrative responsibility. Government representatives have countered that paper leaks have occurred under different parties and across several states, making institutional reform more important than partisan blame.

The survey indicates that the government’s measures have yet to restore public confidence. Even after the minister’s resignation and promises of tougher enforcement, dissatisfaction remains substantial among voters who normally support Modi’s coalition.

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai Residential REIT posted a 15.1% increase in first-half net profit before property valuation changes and approved an interim cash dividend of AED573.2 million, supported by higher rents, near-full occupancy and additions to its housing portfolio. Net profit before changes in the fair value of investment property reached AED716.5 million for the six months ended June 30, up from AED622.3 million in the […]

Oil prices fell sharply on Monday as traders responded to renewed diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and easing threats to energy supplies from the Gulf. Brent crude, the benchmark for about two-thirds of internationally traded oil, dropped more than 7 per cent during early trading before trimming its losses. It was down 5.09 per cent at $83.51 a barrel […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai Future Foundation and autonomous vehicle technology company Oxa have launched a laboratory to develop, test and commercialise self-driving logistics systems for ports, airports and other industrial sites. The Autonomous Logistics Future Lab will operate through SHIFFT, a joint venture established under the Dubai Research, Development and Innovation Ecosystem. Its first commercial deployment is planned in Dubai before the end of 2027. The […]

Canary Capital’s spot Hedera exchange-traded fund has expanded regulated access to HBAR through Nasdaq, giving investors exposure to the cryptocurrency without requiring digital wallets, private keys or direct custody arrangements. The Canary HBAR ETF, trading under the ticker HBR, is the first US-listed spot fund dedicated to Hedera’s native token. The product began operations on October 27, 2025, and started trading on Nasdaq the following day after […]

DeepSeek’s V4-Flash artificial intelligence model has emerged as the cheapest widely recognised system to operate in independent benchmark testing, intensifying pressure on US and Chinese developers to cut prices while maintaining competitive performance. The Hangzhou-based company charges $0.14 per million input tokens and $0.28 per million output tokens for requests that do not use previously cached data. Its cache-hit price is substantially lower at $0.0028 per million […]

XRP entered August trading near $1.06, with investors weighing strong institutional demand against fading expectations that US lawmakers will pass landmark cryptocurrency legislation before the congressional recess. The token remains about 71% below the record of roughly $3.66 reached in July 2025, when regulatory optimism and expectations of exchange-traded fund approvals drove a sharp market advance. Its subdued price has prompted debate over whether institutional accumulation is […]

U. S. President Donald Trump said negotiations with Iran would take place on Monday but declined to impose a deadline for an agreement aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and addressing Tehran’s nuclear capabilities. Trump said the United States had been prepared to launch another major attack against Iran before suspending the operation to allow diplomacy to proceed. Speaking to reporters, he offered few details about […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi National Oil Company will change the benchmark used to determine official selling prices for all its crude grades from November 1, replacing Murban futures with prompt-month Platts Dubai pricing. The overhaul will cover Murban, Das, Umm Lulu and Upper Zakum crude. ADNOC will announce a premium or discount for each grade against Dubai quotes during the month before the cargo is […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Emirates NBD has agreed to acquire HSBC Egypt’s retail banking business, gaining its customer accounts, branches, cash machines and associated employees in a transaction expected to strengthen the Dubai-based lender’s position in one of the Arab world’s largest financial markets. The acquisition will be conducted through Emirates NBD Egypt, the banking group’s wholly owned subsidiary. Completion is targeted for the second half of […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Emirates NBD has agreed to acquire HSBC Egypt’s retail banking business, adding its customers, branches, cash machines and supporting employees to the Dubai-based group’s growing operations in one of the Middle East’s largest consumer markets. The transaction will be conducted through Emirates NBD Egypt, the banking group’s wholly owned local subsidiary. It remains subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions and is […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai US President Donald Trump has suspended a planned military attack on Iran after Tehran and several Middle Eastern governments indicated that negotiations could produce a swift agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said the operation had been cancelled on the condition that the parties rapidly finalise a deal addressing maritime access and Iran’s nuclear programme. He warned that US forces remained […]

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has abandoned a proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup’s commercial operations to private investors after opposition from football authorities threatened to fracture the global game. Infantino confirmed that the FIFA Forward Enterprise project “will not proceed”, acknowledging that it had created divisions that were no longer compatible with the governing body’s stated aim of uniting and developing football. The reversal […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Girl students burnt an effigy of BJP Lok Sabha member Kangana Ranaut in Jabalpur on Saturday, escalating protests over her remarks against young people who demonstrated over the NEET-UG paper leak. The protesters assembled at Ghantaghar in the Madhya Pradesh city, raised slogans against the Mandi parliamentarian and demanded her resignation. They accused Ranaut of insulting students who had sought accountability over alleged […]

Russia has prohibited cryptocurrency mining across Moscow, the surrounding Moscow Region and parts of the Kursk Region until the end of 2032, widening restrictions designed to protect electricity networks from power-intensive digital currency operations. The measure will take effect on August 15, 2026, and remain in force until December 31, 2032. It covers both the mining of digital currencies and participation in cryptocurrency mining pools, closing a […]

The UK Games Fund has selected 29 independent studios for grants of up to £100,000, marking the largest funding cohort since the programme began in 2015. The companies will use the Prototype Fund awards to develop original intellectual property, test projects with players and strengthen their ability to attract publishers or private investment. The grants will primarily cover employment costs for UK-based staff and contractors involved in […]

Renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja has died after an avalanche struck his expedition on Broad Peak in northern Pakistan, his climbing company confirmed on Saturday. Elite Exped, which Purja co-founded, said the Nepal-born climber, widely known as Nimsdai, lost his life after the avalanche swept through the group on Thursday. The company also confirmed that other members of the international expedition had not survived. Purja was leading a […]

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