Centre Defers Import Ban On Laptops And Tablets Till October 31; Details

The government has deferred its plan to put a curb on import of laptops and tablets for next three months, a huge sigh of relief for tech companies. As per government notification, companies will have time till October 31 to take license to import electronic devices.

"Import consignments can be cleared till October 31 without a licence and a government permit would be required for clearance of import from November 1," the government said.

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It further added, “Liberal transitional arrangement is provided for import of laptops, tablets, all-in-one personal computers, ultra-small form factor computers and servers ... till October 31, 2023".

This is a partial reversal of the surprise decision came out by the government to need a license required for importing laptops and tablets with immediate effect, which prompted calls for delay.

The government clarified that the restrictions were imposed due to security reasons and to promote domestic manufacturing. The move will also curtail in-bound shipments of these goods from countries like China and Korea and also allow the Centre to keep a close watch on the locations from where the products are coming, officials said.

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Union IT Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar said that the move aimed to "ensure trusted hardware and systems" and reduce dependence on imports.

The announcement by the government forced the tech companies to have emergency engagements with the government about how to quickly obtain licenses at a period of heightened consumer interest with the Diwali shopping season just around the corner.