India May Impose Import Restrictions on Cameras and Printers

The Indian government could bring cameras and printers into its import restriction policy in the coming months. The government announced restrictions on laptop and tablet imports earlier this month, but new reports suggest more products could be added to the list, causing further problems for manufacturers importing their products from other markets.

The ET report cites sources who claim that the government is currently looking at other high-value items that can be included in the policy. The decision on the restrictions is made primarily to promote local manufacturing, but in the short term, laptop manufacturers will need to obtain a special license that will allow them to continue their business as usual.

Bringing camera and printer brands into the mix would add pressure on the industry to counter its stance on Indian manufacturing, but again, customers may face problems buying products until imports are not dramatically reduced.

Following the decision to postpone the policy, top consumer electronics companies such as HP, Apple and Dell have urged the government to extend the November 1 deadline for PC, laptop and tablet licenses by at least a year. They explained that it will take time to configure and install manufacturing/assembly units according to the new guidelines.

In a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Tuesday, which was also attended by leading industry bodies Manufacturing Association of IT Hardware (MAIT) and India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA), sources said the technology companies conveyed that they need more time to set up manufacturing units in the country.

According to reports, around 44 companies, including some leading global players, have applied for incentives under the Hardware Production Linked Incentives (PLI) 2.0 scheme.