Tech giants such as Dell, HP, Apple and other companies want the Indian government to extend the deadline for licenses needed to ship computers and related items following the government's move to slap import curbs on laptops, computers, tablets and other electronic devices, by at least one year, according to a report.

The central government had imposed a licensing requirement to put a check on IT hardware coming in with in-built security loopholes that may endanger sensitive personal and enterprise data, several reports said after the curbs were announced.

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The move also focused on cutting imports from countries like China as well. However, the government, on August 4, deferred the implementation of this decision to November 1 amid concerns that limited supplies cut push up prices.

According to The Economic Times report, top executives of several big tech companies met with the ministry of electronics and IT officials and conveyed to the government that companies needed time to set up manufacturing units in India.

“The companies need reasonable time to set up manufacturing. We are also unsure about the process for licensing, and the data needed from us. So, we will need this time,” the financial daily quoted one of the industry executives present at the meeting as saying.

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“For clearance of import consignments with effect from November 1, 2023, a valid licence for restricted imports is required,” the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said.

As an IT and services hub, India’s import of items being put under restrictions was worth $8.8 billion in 2022-23 compared to the overall merchandise import bill of over $700 billion.

The government said that the restrictions were not to restrain or ban imports but to reduce them and find ways of promoting exports by enhancing domestic manufacturing capabilities, the ET reported officials as saying.