India on Thursday said it will impose a licensing requirement for imports of MacBooks, iPads, other laptops, tablets, and personal computers with immediate effect, a move that could hit impact Apple, Dell and Samsung and force them to boost local manufacturing.
Aftab Ahmed, Munsif Vengattil, and Shivangi Acharya for Reuters:
Current regulations in India allow companies to import laptops freely, but the new rule mandates a special licence for these products similar to restrictions India imposed in 2020 for inbound TV shipments.
Industry executives said a licensing regime would mean prolonged wait times for each new model they launch, and would come just ahead of a festive season in India when sales typically surge.
The government in its notification gave no reason for the move, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has been promoting local manufacturing and discouraging imports under his “Make in India” plan.
Research firm Counterpoint estimates India’s laptop and personal computer market to be worth $8 billion annually, with two thirds of those imported.
A government source, who did not want to be named, told reporters shipments that have been ordered will be allowed without licences until Aug. 31.
“The move’s spirit is to push manufacturing to India. It’s not a nudge, it’s a push,” said Ali Akhtar Jafri, former director general at electronics industry body MAIT.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple is all in on India and we can see the company being granted exemptions or expedited licensing given that the company’s current push to diversify beyond China strongly involves significant manufacturing and assembly investments in India by Apple and their assemblers.
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