Apple, Samsung, and HP are some of the manufacturers that have halted laptop imports to India, according to Bloomberg.
On Thursday, August 4, the Indian government announced new restrictions on the import of laptops, tablets, and PCs to promote its Made in India initiative and encourage manufacturing within the country.
A notification from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) states that the import of laptops, tablets, all-in-one personal computers, ultra-small form factor computers, and servers is now immediately restricted.
Buyers must obtain licenses for importing laptops and tablets under the government’s regulations. This requirement applies to all types of computers, including ultra-small ones and tablets. However, certain types of PCs falling under the capital goods category are exempted from this requirement.
The notification also mentions that import licenses will only be exempt for up to 20 items per shipment for purposes such as research and development, testing, benchmarking, evaluation, repair and return, and product development.
Anonymous sources state that laptop manufacturers were expecting government actions to encourage domestic production and reduce dependence on imports. However, the recent imposition of licensing requirements came as a surprise to the industry.
Manufacturers are currently in discussions with the government to find the most efficient way to obtain a license, particularly during a time of increased consumer demand due to the upcoming Diwali season and back-to-school sales in the country.
A senior official from the technology ministry stated that companies importing laptops, tablets, and other IT products from overseas will have a minimum of one month to apply for import licenses. Additionally, the government is streamlining the application process, potentially resulting in approvals as quickly as one day.