Laptop & PC Import Curb: Google, Apple, Intel, and Others Have Urged US to Push India to Reconsider Its New Rule

Global IT and electronics manufacturing giants like Google, Apple, Intel, and others have urged the US government to ask the Government of India to reconsider its newly imposed restriction on the imports of laptops, PCs, and ultra-small form factor computers.

These Technology giants have asked the Joe Biden administration to use every possible forum to push India to reconsider its mandate, says an Economic Times report on Saturday.

The union government placed restrictions on laptop imports, tablets, and computers. It also stated that the import would be only allowed if it involved a valid license for the restricted electronic products. With prompt response, the industry asked the government to delay the enforcement of this newly imposed obligation by three months to November 1.

According to the report, around eight US-based trade bodies that, include Consumer Technology Association, Semiconductor Industry Association, and United States Council for International Business, asked trade representatives and the commerce secretary of the US to utilize every available forum to communicate with the Indian government and ensure its measured enforced in the area of ITC sector are consistent and meets India's commitment and obligations of international trade.

These trade bodies have stated that the newly imposed measures by the Indian government have raised concern about India's reliability of becoming a trusted trade and supply chain partner. They also mentioned that it could affect the bilateral relationships of the two countries.

In support of the Indian government's decision, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MoS of Electronics and Information Technology, stated that the move is not to support or impose the license raj but to ensure that the tech ecosystem uses only trusted electronic parts. Besides, it reduces India's dependence on imports of technology items and promotes domestic manufacturing. He also mentioned that it should not be regarded as curbs or licensing. Instead, this should be called more of a part of the import management system.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has launched an online portal where companies and traders can fill out online forms to apply for import licenses. It's anticipated that DGFT will issue a license within three to four days if the form is filled out correctly.