Apple reportedly warned it would fail to hit production targets in India if the country pushes ahead with plans to follow the European Union (EU) by introducing universal charging ports.

Reuters reported Apple told Indian government officials at a meeting it wants older iPhone models to be exempt from proposed rules to introduce universal USB-C charging for devices by June 2025, or at least be granted an extension until mid-2026 if they are not.

The news agency stated minutes of the meeting with officials show Apple regulatory and product compliance executives said the company would fail to meet India’s production-linked incentive scheme targets if it is not granted an extension or delay.

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The company did not reveal exact production numbers at risk, but did state the design of its early products could not be changed.

India is looking to follow the EU in implementing a common charger system, with all Member States required to adopt USB-C by late 2024.

Apple was impacted heavily by the EU move, as it has long used its Lightning connector as the charging port for its iPhone.

However, it adopted USB-C in its iPhone 15 flagship line launched earlier this year.

Counterpoint Research forecasts Apple will end 2023 with a 6 per cent share of India’s smartphone market, largely due to popularity of its iPhone 12, 13 and 14 lines.

Apple’s suppliers have also moved to expand their facilities in the country, including Foxconn, which in October committed to invest $1.6 billion to add manufacturing capacity.