New Delhi, Dec 5 : Apple has asked the Indian government to exempt its existing iPhones from the requirement of a common charging port (USB-C) for electronics devices, as the Centre evaluates the possibility of mandating a common charger for most devices.

In a meeting with the IT Ministry officials late last month, Apple told the officials that if such a rule -- similar to what has been proposed by the European Union (EU) to require devices to have universal charging ports -- is brought, it may hamper its domestic manufacturing plans, reliable sources told IANS.  According to the tech giant, if such regulation is implemented on older models of mobile phones, Apple may not be able to meet the PLI (product-linked incentive) targets.