Several tech giants, including Apple, Dell, HP, and Acer, have appealed for a nine-month to one-year extension of the import license deadline for laptops, tablets, all-in-one PCs, and other electronics, according to a report by Economic Times.
This follows the government’s recent announcement of import restrictions on such devices.
Industry Seeks Time for Manufacturing Setup
During a meeting with senior officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), company executives expressed the need for an extended duration to establish manufacturing facilities in India. They cited the need for clarity on licensing procedures and required data.
Following discussions between electronics industry representatives and officials from the IT ministry and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), the government extended the timeline until October 31.
Industry’s Perspective on Import Licensing
Industry representatives, including major hardware companies and associations like Manufacturing Association of IT Hardware (MAIT) and the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA), were part of a closed-door meeting with government officials.
The government clarified that the intention behind import licensing was not to ban imports, but to encourage domestic manufacturing while facilitating exports.
Focus on Domestic Manufacturing Capabilities
In addition to foreign original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), Indian OEMs met with government officials to discuss production capacity and potential ramp-up time. The government plans to gauge the volume of high-end electronics imports, especially after November 1, to ensure a smooth flow of imports into the country.
The report also cited that the industry’s primary demand is to avoid limiting the import of high-end IT hardware, such as premium laptops and PCs, due to the current absence of local manufacturing capacity for these products.
Regarding the restriction, Yogesh Agrawal, CEO and Co-Founder, CONSISTENT INFOSYSTEMS PRIVATE LIMITED, said:
Government of India imposition of import restriction of Laptops, tablets, and all-in-one personal computers will propel local IT hardware manufacturing in the near term. It is in line with Government Atmanirbhar Bharat and Made in India scheme which will propel India to become IT hardware manufacturing giant. Brand like us which are manufacturing essential IT components like Motherboards, SSDs and other IT hardware welcome this step but also wants government to support us in terms of providing adequate infrastructure, lowering export tariffs and training manpower to enhance manufacturing competitiveness. This move will definitely hurt consumers due to supply issues and even lead to a rise in prices for a short duration of time.