New Delhi: The United States has asked India to give details on why it is collecting data from importers on its “importing license requirement” for laptops, tablets and computers which will be operational from November 1 and if this regime will be expanded to other imports.The Hindu Businessline reported the US made a representation to the World Trade Organisation’s committee on import licensing on October 19.In early August, India notified import restrictions on laptops, tablets, and certain types of computers with immediate effect for security reasons and the need to promote domestic manufacturing. As per the notice, importers of these items would need permission or license from the government for their inbound shipments.A day later, on August 4, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade announced that implementation has been deferred till November 1, reportedly to allow the industry to adjust.As per media reports, the government’s decision to restrict imports was to encourage Indian manufacturers since electronic imports accounted for $19.7 billion between April and June 2023.With several large companies directly impacted by the restrictions, the government had to make some relaxations. On October 19, India unveiled a new liberal online authorisation system designed to automatically grant import authorisations once importers input the details regarding the value, volume, and source country of their intended imports.These authorisations, which come with no quantity or source restrictions, will remain valid until September 30, 2024. Officials say the data collected during this monitoring period would inform future policy decisions.The US representation to WTO noted that on September 26, Indian authorities “announced that on November 1, 2023, importers will only be required to register on an ‘import management system’ in order to import regulated products”. “However, no change was made to the original notification (of August 3),” they said.In its official representation, the United States requested that India provide details on the data to be gathered and its intended purpose. “Will the information impact the process for granting licenses? Is India considering the use of quantitative restrictions based on the information supplied?” it stated, as quoted by The Hindu Businessline.The United States also inquired whether India intended to broaden the scope of import licensing beyond the specified products, whether it had issued a public notification and allowed for a period of public comment before the announcement.