Handset makers seek import duty hike rollback

Mobile handset manufacturers have sought rollback of increased import duties on inputs for chargers, power banks, camera modules and printed circuit board assembly (PCBA), among other items, in the upcoming budget

The duties were hiked in the 2021-22 budget.

Pankaj Mohindroo, chairman of the India Cellular & Electronics Association, said in a letter to Union Minister of State for IT, Rajiv Chandrasekhar, that raising tariffs on components makes import of the whole part cheaper than manufacturing them in the country.

Scaling back production due to the competitive disadvantage has led to a loss of between ₹10,000 crore and ₹15,000 crore, Mohindroo added. ICEA has complained that these tariffs “were imposed suo motu by the Department of Revenue.” The industry has argued that incentives under the government’s flagship Production-linked Incentive (PLI) scheme conflict. Whileinews