New Delhi: The government on Thursday, August 3, imposed import restrictions on laptops, tablets, and certain types of computers with immediate effect for security reasons and the need to promote domestic manufacturing.
According to PTI, the move will curtail inbound shipments of these goods from countries like China and Korea.
Importers of these items would now need permission or license from the government for their inbound shipments.
A senior government official told the news agency that there are a variety of reasons for imposing these restrictions but the primary is “to ensure that the security of our citizens is fully safeguarded”.
“Some of the hardwares could potentially have security related issues and could compromise sensitive and personal data, we have taken into account few of those goods,” he added.
An importer can apply for a license from August 4. The trader should have to be a regular importer to get a licence, the report added.
“The idea is not to ban imports but to regulate the inbound shipments of these goods,” the official told the news agency.
A senior government official told the Indian Express that the measure has been taken to push companies to manufacture locally in India.