Kolkata|New Delhi: The government has adopted a liberal stance on laptop and tablet imports for 2025, granting approvals for the entire year, with an option for mid-year review to prevent market shortages, multiple industry executives said. A proposed 5% annual reduction in imports, to be substituted by local manufacturing, is expected to be formalised by the second half of calendar 2025.
By this time, local laptop production will begin for all brands. A consensus between the government and industry on the base year should also be firmed up for its calculation by when the mid-year review of brand-wise demand and supply takes place.
Additional import approvals may be issued if demand exceeds the currently approved inventory and local production targets may be cut if demand does not pick up, two executives said. Free imports of laptops and tablets were allowed in calendar 2024 after plans for import control through a licensing regime were deferred. Still, brands had to seek import authorisation as the Centre wanted to monitor imports and promote local manufacturing. An official said the Centre is taking a carrot-and-stick approach and will be lenient in giving enough time to firms to shift to local production.
Import approvals that firm are taking now are valid from January 1 to December 31, 2025. The CEO of a leading laptop brand said the Centre has given full import nod as to what the firm had applied for.
