Context: 

The Government of India has put restrictions on the import of laptops, PCs, tablets, etc.

• The initial decision was taken with immediate effects but was later amended, and the import restriction on laptops has now been suspended until November 1, 2023.

About the Placed Restrictions:

• The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued the official notification for these import restrictions.
  • DGFT operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and manages foreign trade-related regulations.
• Aim of the Move:
  • The main goal of these restrictions is to promote domestic manufacturing within India.
  • These measures are believed to be directed towards China, given that over 75% of India’s imports of laptops and personal computers in the previous fiscal year originated from China.
    • More than half of India’s annual imports, roughly $10 billion of computing products are from China.
• Permission Requirement for Imports: Entities intending to import laptops and computers for sale within India must now obtain government permission or a license for their importation.
• Specifics of the Restrictions:
  • The import restrictions have been implemented under the Harmonized System of Nomenclature (HSN) Code 8471.
  • HSN codes are classification systems used to categorize products for taxation purposes.
  • HSN Code 8471 specifically pertains to devices designed for data processing tasks.

News Source: The Indian Express