Apple\'s Jobs delays trip to India

Jobs had been scheduled to make the rare trip to Asia this month in order to oversee the launch of the company's new R&D center and support facility in Bangalore.

Citing sources familiar with the company, CIOL said, "Recruitments for the Apple's R&D center and technical support facility are (still) going on. It might take some more time to complete this exercise."

Jobs is said to be keen on having the R&D center functional before he makes the trip, and now plans to visit the site in September.

Its been reported that the Apple chief, who is usually conservative in his travel plans, has visited only one other Asian country in his official capacity: Japan.

However, he reportedly admires India as one of the fast growing economies in the world and in the 1970's spent four years as a "hippie spiritual tourist" visiting holy places in the country.

Apple is expected to hire 3000 employees to staff the Bangalore facility by 2007.