Apple has officially opened its new App Accelerator in Bangalore as part of an effort to support engineering talent and boost growth in India's iOS developer community (via Mashable).

At the center, experts will lead briefings and provide one-to-one app reviews for developers. Apple is calling the facility "the first of its kind" in the country, and says it will provide specialized support to developers as well as tools to help them push the boundaries.

"We are impressed by the great entrepreneurial spirit in India, and are excited to provide a platform for these developers to share their innovations with customers around the world," said Philip Schiller, senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing at Apple. "In just the first few weeks, we've already seen some incredible developers here at the App Accelerator Bengaluru, including Practo and Reliance Games, create innovative apps that can meet the needs of customers in India and around the world."

Apple first announced its plans for the App Accelerator back in May 2016, during CEO Tim Cook's high profile visit to India, when he met with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Since then, the company has been steadily ramping up its presence in the country, negotiating terms with Modi regarding manufacturing and development, seeking tax concessions for locally manufactured iPhones, and setting up a local distribution center.