In a bid to tighten scrutiny of imported laptops, tablets and other IT hardware, importers will now have to renew their registrations annually, industry sources said. The new import monitoring system, aimed at collecting advanced information such as country of origin, is already operational. Importers can apply for registration through the existing Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) portal, as discussed in a recent stakeholder consultation involving the DGFT, Ministry of Electronics and Information and industry.
Approval for import applications is expected to take place within 24 to 72 hours, with insufficient information being the sole reason for any rejection, IT industry body Nasscom said.
This policy change comes against the backdrop of proposed import restrictions on laptops and IT hardware, which will come into effect from November 1. The announcement had raised concerns not only within the industry, but also among key trading partners such as the United States and the European Union.
However, the government appears to have softened its position and is not using terms such as ‘restrictions’ or ‘license’. “The government has made it clear that there will be no import restrictions. Items imported into India’s Special Economic Zones and Software Technology Parks will not require separate registration,” said an unnamed industry executive.
The government has also assured that the import monitoring system will allow adjustments in case of sudden supply chain disruptions or unforeseen high demand for these products. Furthermore, it encourages companies to diversify their import sources to avoid domination by a single country.
First print: September 27, 2023 | 6:18 PM IST