Here's why the Indian govt reversed its decision on laptop import restriction

Weeks after facing criticism, The Indian government has decided to roll back its earlier plan to impose restrictions on laptop import, Trade Secretary Sunil Barthwal said.

Facing criticism from the industry

The development comes after the Indian government faced criticism from industry players such as Apple and Google, who called on the US to intervene in the matter.

The companies asked the US government to use every available forum to push India to reconsider implementing the import restriction policy on IT hardware and launch a formal stakeholder consultation to solicit recommendations from the industry.

In Aug 2023, the Indian govt imposed immediate restrictions on importing laptops, tablets, and personal computers in the HSN 8741 category. The central authority had said that the import of restricted items would be permitted only with a valid license.

The policy, which was introduced in August 2023, was delayed following criticism that it would significantly impact the businesses of companies like Dell, HP, Apple, Samsung, and Lenovo.