The Indian government has announced that it will not impose licensing or similar restrictions on laptop and computer imports, but will instead establish a mechanism to monitor the volume and source of these imports. This statement comes in response to recent misinformation about potential import restrictions on laptops.
Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal clarified that there are no restrictions on laptops, and the government is only implementing monitoring measures to keep track of these imports. He emphasized that this monitoring does not involve any restrictions.
This announcement is significant as the government had previously announced in August that products like laptops, tablets, and computers would require licensing starting from November 1. However, the government has now decided against enforcing these restrictions.
Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Santosh Kumar Sarangi explained that an import management system will be put in place on November 1. The government had initially imposed import restrictions on laptops, computers, and certain data processing machines as part of an effort to promote domestic manufacturing and reduce reliance on imports from countries like China. However, the IT hardware industry expressed concerns about these restrictions.
According to a report by think-tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), India heavily depends on China for various products, including mobile phones, laptops, and components. In an effort to boost domestic manufacturing, the government has implemented measures such as the production-linked incentive scheme and increased customs duties on electronic components.
India currently imports around $7-8 billion worth of laptops and computers annually. In the fiscal year 2022-23, the country imported personal computers, including laptops, worth $5.33 billion, compared to $7.37 billion in the previous fiscal year. Imports of certain data processing machines amounted to $553 million, while imports of microcomputers and processors reached $1.2 million.
In May, the government approved the Production-Linked Incentive Scheme 2.0 for IT Hardware, which has a budgetary outlay of ₹ 17,000 crore.
This article was written with inputs from PTI.
