Government restricting multimedia devices: The government has restricted imports of laptops, tablets, and personal computers to push local manufacturing of these devices in India. The government had passed a notice that said “Their import would be allowed against a valid license for restricted imports”.
In April-June, electronics imports, which include laptops, tablets, and personal computer were roughly ₹1,62,960 crore that incereases 6.25 percent year-on-year. Electronics imports range between 7% to 10% of the country’s total merchandise imports.
Government restricting multimedia devices– Laptop, Tablet, PC
The government has been trying to push local manufacturing of multimedia devices by giving production-linked incentives in over two dozen sectors, including electronics. The incentive scheme is key to India’s ambitions to become a powerhouse in the global electronics supply chain, with the country targeting annual production worth $300 billion (roughly Rs. 24,81,400 crore) by 2026.
Dell, Acer, Samsung, LG Electronics, Apple, Lenovo, and HO are some of the key companies selling laptops in the Indian market and a substantial portion are imported from countries such as China, Shares of Indian electronic maker Dixon Technologies rose over 5% on the news.
Laptops, tablets, and personal computers compose about 1.5 percent of the country’s total annual imports, and nearly half of those are bought from China, according to government data. The government has imposed high tariffs in the past on products like mobile phones to catalyse domestic output and now restricting other devices import to implant local manufacturing of these devices in India.
