No need for a renewal: Laptop manufacturers' import registration will extend automatically

Laptop curbs in India were announced in 2023 to boost local production and to ensure trusted supply chain of such products

With the government getting ready to extend to the end of the year the import authorisation system for laptops and other devices, manufacturers who have the registration but whose validity ends September 30, need not apply for a renewal, a senior government official has told Moneycontrol.

"The registration of the companies who have already been approved will be valid till the extension. It will be carried over," the official added.

The system that allows such free import ends on September 30. The industry, which includes laptop, and personal computer (PC) manufacturers, has been "waiting with trepidation" for an update on the way ahead.

Moneycontrol has reported that the commerce and industry ministry is set to come out with a notification extending the import management system.

American tech companies raised concerns that going back to the government’s initial proposal of licensing norms for the PC ecosystem would spell the death knell for India's tech dreams.

In 2021, the government introduced the production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for IT hardware. The scheme was introduced to boost domestic manufacturing of laptops, tablets, all-in-one PCs and servers, among others.

The official said the system was introduced, as manufacturers were not able to meet their production targets. The government also wanted to understand the overall consumption patterns of these products, the official added.

In August 2023, the government announced restrictions on the free import of laptops, tablets, personal computers and similar products, requiring companies to obtain licences for these imports.

The move was aimed at boosting opportunities for domestic manufacturers and ensuring a trusted supply chain, as India remains heavily reliant on imports for such electronics.

The policy, however, faced strong opposition from global tech giants such as Dell, Acer, Samsung, Panasonic, Apple, Lenovo and HP, who argued it would disrupt their operations.

The government rolled back the restrictions the following month, extending the free import window by a year to September 2024.