Price differences across countries are common in global trade. Taxes, duties, and local rules often make the same product costlier in one market compared to another.
Shoppers usually ignore the policy side of it. What they notice is the big jump in price for the same phone depending on where it is bought.
This is clear with Apple’s latest iPhone 17 Pro. In the US, it costs about Rs.97,000, while in India the price is above Rs.1,34,900.
The Indian government has already waived import duties on iPhone components coming from China for assemblers. The devices are put together in India, yet buyers still face heavy tariffs on the finished product.
Instead of making locally assembled iPhones cheaper, the tax load pushes Indian prices far above global levels. This raises a key question.
If tariffs are meant to protect domestic manufacturing, why don’t Indian buyers enjoy lower costs? The pricing shows that consumers end up paying more, while local smartphone makers see little support against Apple’s market power.
In practice, the tariff does less to build Indian industry and more to keep premium products out of reach for many buyers. It is a policy that clearly needs to be reviewed.
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