Apple, Dell Get A Breather As India Said To Mull Softer Stand On Tech Imports For Now

This story was first published on the Benzinga India portal.

The Indian government is contemplating a new registration regime for imported IT hardware, a move with potential benefits for multinational tech companies including Apple Inc. AAPL, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (KRX: 005930), HP Inc. HPQ, Dell Technologies Inc. DELL, Lenovo Group Limited LNVGY, ASUSTeK Computer Inc. (TPE: 2357), and Acer Inc. (TPE: 2353), as per government sources.

For this fiscal year concluding in March 2024, the government plans to only monitor the origin and cost of these devices, government representatives told the Economic Times. Additional regulations and quotas may be introduced next year.

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On September 8, the Indian government reportedly held discussions with these tech giants regarding the proposed plan. Invitations were also extended to industry associations like the India Cellular &Electronics Association (ICEA) and the Manufacturers’ Association For Information Technology (MAIT).

According to one insider, companies are set to initiate production under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme next year, necessitating some imports to bridge the gap.

Previously, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) mandated certain IT hardware imports to have a license due to security reasons. However, this deadline has been postponed to November 1 following feedback from the industry. 

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