Apple has tightened oversight of iPhone shipments in India in an effort to stop devices from being re-exported to Russia and other markets where the company no longer operates, the Indian business news website MoneyControl reported Monday.
Official Indian distributors have warned retailers they face heavy penalties if newly purchased iPhones are activated with foreign SIM cards within 90 days, with particular scrutiny on the latest iPhone 17 series.
A notice to sellers said stores could face large fines and have their identification codes blocked if foreign SIM use is detected, MoneyControl reported.
Apple halted official sales in Russia shortly after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and restricted Apple Pay and other services.
But new models continue to reach the Russian market through parallel imports and private suppliers.
According to MoneyControl, Apple’s iPhone exports from India hit $1.6 billion in October, almost one-third of the country’s total smartphone exports and roughly 40% of all electronics exports.
Analysts cited by the outlet estimate that 3-5% of iPhone exports leave India through unofficial channels, with nearly half of those devices headed to Russia.
Other key destinations for the grey market include countries in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
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