India reportedly plans to restrict PC imports from January 2025, aiming to break away from reliance on China and compete with foreign companies
Reuters reported that India is likely to restrict imports of PCs, laptops and tablets from January 2025. The move is said to be aimed at reining in large foreign companies and reducing reliance on China, which supplies the bulk of India's imports.
India plans laptop import curbs to boost local manufacturing, sources say | Reuters
India plans import curbs on PC parts and laptops — an initiative to encourage domestic manufacturing and reduce dependency on countries like China | Tom's Hardware
https://www.tomshardware.com/laptops/india-plans-import-curbs-on-pc-parts-and-laptops-an-initiative-to-encourage-domestic-manufacturing-and-reduce-dependency-on-countries-like-china
Reuters reported on October 17, 2024 that 'India is expected to restrict PC imports from January 2025, according to two government sources with direct knowledge of the matter.' This is said to be a measure to put pressure on foreign companies like Apple and develop the domestic industry.
Under the current system, importers can bring any number of laptops into the country simply by completing an automatic online registration process, but India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is reportedly working on a new import licensing system that would require prior approval.
India had proposed introducing a similar system in August 2023, but withdrew it after opposition from the industry and criticism from the US government. Since then, it has been monitoring imports under a temporary measure that is due to expire in 2024.
The Indian government believes it has given the industry enough time to respond to the import restrictions, and will begin coordinating with various parties as soon as October 2024, one of the sources said. The government is also not particular about when the import restrictions will begin, and could delay implementation of the measures by a few months if necessary, the source said.
India's PC industry is dominated by foreign companies such as HP, DELL, Apple, Lenovo and Samsung, and two-thirds of demand is imported, most of which comes from China. According to a survey by Mordor Intelligence, a consulting firm, domestic production of India's IT hardware market, including laptops, is only $5 billion, out of a total of $20 billion.
Amid growing concerns about cyber attacks and data breaches, the Indian government has long stressed the need for 'trusted suppliers of electronic and telecommunications equipment', with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying in 2022 that 'India should reduce its reliance on foreign sources for servers and other communications technology'.
by COP26
To reduce India's reliance on foreign sources of IT equipment, the Indian government is supporting domestic manufacturing with federal subsidies of about $2.01 billion (about 300 billion yen), but it will be some time before India is completely self-sufficient in the technology.
'Import restrictions should be calibrated based on India's domestic production capacity,' an industry source involved in government discussions told Reuters.
India plans to tighten certification requirements for security cameras in the country, requiring all surveillance and security TV cameras to be tested on 'essential security parameters' from April 2025, according to Reuters.
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