Govt tweaks norms for laptop imports; unveils online authorisation system
An official said the new online system is simple as compared to a cumbersome license regime.
Representative image (File)
NEW DELHI: The government on Thursday tweaked curbs on imports of laptops and computers as it allowed importers to bring in shipments of IT hardware from overseas on a mere ‘authorisation’ upon detailing quantity and value.
The new ‘import management system’ is aimed at monitoring shipments of laptops, tablets, and computers into the country without hurting market supply or creating a cumbersome licensing regime. The announcement is likely to provide relief to companies in the IT hardware segment in India as they had flagged concerns over the imposition of a strict licensing regime for importers. Leading electronic brands that are sold in the market include HCL, Samsung, Dell, LG Electronics, Acer, Apple, Lenovo, and HP.
Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Santosh Kumar Saranagi told reporters here that the new licensing or import authorisation/management system, which will come into operation with immediate effect, is primarily aimed at monitoring imports of these products to ensure that they are coming from “trusted” sources.
While seeking the authorisation, an importer will have to provide an import item summary and details of past import, export, and turnover. Subject to certain conditions, the government will not reject any import requests and will use the data for monitoring the inbound shipments of these goods. After taking into account the concerns of stakeholders, some “tweaking” in the policy has been made, and an end-to-end online system was launched for importers, Saranagi said.
Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeiTY) S Krishnan said this system will “provide us with the kind of data and information (that) we need to make sure that we have a completely trusted digital system in this country”.
On August 3, the government announced import curbs and then suddenly deferred the decision on August 4, stating that the licensing regime will kick in from November 1 following concerns raised by the industry.
An official said the new online system is simple as compared to a cumbersome license regime. The importers are allowed to apply for multiple authorisations and those authorisations would be valid up to Sept 30, 2024. The authorisations will be issued for any number of consignments for imports till Sept 2024. About post-September 2024 scenario, Krishnan said the government will study the data, interact with the industry, and then decide on ways to move forward.
