Chinese internet conglomerate, which has recently announced its foray into offline sales in the country has also sought for government’s waiver to start single branded stores of smartphones in the country. The government is already considering Apple application where the company has sought waiver of 30 per cent sourcing norms it has for starting a single branded outlet.
According to Atul Jain, chief operating officer, LeEco India, “We have also asked the government to give us an exemption on the 30 per cent norm. We haven’t heard from them as yet on where the status is. It’s really with the government to come back to us.”
There is a clause within the government that if the product is cutting-edge than the 30 per cent local sourcing norm can be relaxed and Apple and LeEco have applied for the same clause. But the government is yet to ascertain if the products of both these companies are cutting-edge.
LeEco is also contemplating of opening its manufacturing facility in the country and according to Jain, the company is at a very advanced stage of doing it and he feels that in the next 2-3 months, the company will be in a position to make a formal announcement of the manufacturing status.
By Atanu Kumar Das
