After the uproar, GoI delays implementing restrictions on electronics import to 1st November
DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade) of India has announced that from 1st November 2023, the import of computers, laptops and their components without a license will be restricted. After this set date, these items can only be imported with a valid license for prohibited imports. India's electronics imports, including personal computers (PCs) and laptops, accounted for $19.7 billion between April and June 2023.
Earlier, the Govt of India immediately restricted the import of electrical items. However, after the uproar, DGFT announced that its decision to set limits on the import of specific computers and laptops under HSN 8471 would come into effect from 1st November 2023. After this set date by the GoI, no one will be permitted to import computers, laptops and related items without a license.
DGFT, in its notification, highlighted, "Import consignments can be cleared till 31st October 2023, without a licence for prohibited imports."
The notification further stated that liberal transitional arrangements will be notified to import tablets, laptops, all-in-one PCs, and servers until 31st October 2023.
"The said ban won't apply to imports under Baggage Rules, as amended gradually," stated the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The government's latest decision to prohibit the imports came to push Indian manufacturers to bridge the gap since electronics imports, including tablets, laptops, and PCs, accounted for $19.7 billion between April and June 2023, flourishing at a rate of around 6% annually.
India has pushed local manufacturing by allowing production-linked incentives in over two dozen industries, including electronics. It has extended the deadline for companies to apply for its $2 billion manufacturing incentive scheme to incline big-ticket investments in IT hardware manufacturing, which includes items like tablets, laptops, PCs and servers.
The incentive scheme is essential to India's goal to become a powerhouse in the electronics supply chain globally, with the country targeting annual production worth $300 billion by 2026.
Surprisingly, Acer, Dell, Samsung, Apple Inc, LG Electronics, Lenovo and HP Inc are some of the prominent brands selling laptops in the Indian market. Most of these are imported from countries like China.
