India imposes limit on import of laptops, personal computers to encourage local manufacturing

It has extended the deadline for companies to apply for its $2 billion manufacturing incentive scheme to attract big-ticket investments in IT hardware manufacturing.

Parliament building is reflected in a puddle after the rain as a man sweeps the water in New Delhi, India July 20, 2018 | Reuters

NEW DELHI– India has restricted imports of laptops, tablets and personal computers with immediate effect, according to a government notice on Thursday, in a bid to push local manufacturing.

“Their import would be allowed against a valid licence for restricted imports,” the notice said.

In April-June, electronics imports, which include laptops, tablets and personal computers, was $19.7 billion, up 6.25% year-on-year.

“The move’s spirit is to push manufacturing to India. It’s not a nudge, it’s a push,” said Ali Akhtar Jafri, former director general at electronics industry body Manufacturers’ Association of Information Technology.

Dell <DELL.N>, Acer, Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Apple Inc, Lenovo <0992.HK> and HP Inc are some of the key companies selling laptops in the Indian market and a substantial portion are imported from countries such as China.

(Reporting by Shivam Patel and Aftab Ahmed in New Delhi; Editing by Sudipto Ganguly and Raju Gopalakrishnan)