Apple has announced plans to open an iOS app design and development accelerator in Bengaluru, the Indian city formerly known as Bangalore.

The facility, set to open in early 2017, will offer guidance on using Apples Swift programming language, as well as weekly briefings and one-to-one app reviews by Apple staff, in order to help developers in India hone the design, quality and performance of their iOS apps.

“India is home to one of the most vibrant and entrepreneurial iOS development communities in the world,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook. “With the opening of this new facility in Bengaluru, we’re giving developers access to tools which will help them create innovative apps for customers around the world.”

Apple says it chose Bengaluru, capital of Indias southern Karnataka state, because the city is now home to more technology startups than any other part of India, with over 1m people working in the tech sector, and more than 40 per cent of graduates from local universities specialising in IT or engineering.