The Indian government has recently issued a new import policy that places restrictions on the import of laptops, tablets, all-in-one personal computers, ultra-small form factor computers, and servers. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has now announced the implementation date for this new policy.
According to the directive, import consignments of these restricted items can be cleared without a license until October 31. However, starting from November 1, a valid License for Restricted Imports will be mandatory for clearing import consignments.
The new move is aimed at boosting local manufacturing in the IT hardware sector. While it may present challenges for companies like Dell, Acer, Samsung, LG, Apple, Lenovo, and others who import these devices and sell them in India, it is expected to spur domestic production and attract investments from global tech giants looking to diversify their operations outside China.
The DGFT’s notification also offers an exemption from import licensing for up to 20 items per consignment for R&D, testing, benchmarking and evaluation, repair and return, and product development purposes.
Additionally, to further promote domestic manufacturing, the government recently introduced the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) 2.0 IT hardware scheme, which has already seen registrations from 44 companies, including applications from companies like HP. The scheme aims to encourage local production and is open for applications till August 30, 2023.
As the implementation date approaches, companies importing these devices will need to obtain the necessary licenses to continue their business operations in India. The move signals the government’s commitment to bolstering the country’s IT hardware manufacturing capabilities and reducing dependence on imports.