Reuters: NEW DELHI – According to a statement, India’s new rule requiring licences for the import of laptops, tablets, and personal computers has given U.S. trade representative Katherine Tai cause for concern.
Tai’s intervention is in response to concerns that the licencing system may affect exports from companies like Apple and Dell and push businesses to increase domestic manufacturing.
The United States released a statement after Tai met with India’s Trade Minister Piyush Goyal on August 26. “She noted that there were stakeholders that needed an opportunity to review and provide input to ensure that the policy, if implemented, does not have an adverse impact on U.S. exports to India,” the statement reads.
Tai travelled to India last week to attend the G20 trade ministers’ summit in the western state of Rajasthan.
The goal of India’s new licencing system, which will take effect on November 1, is to “ensure trusted hardware and systems” are imported into the country. According to an Indian government official, it also aims to lessen reliance on imports, increase domestic production, and partially alleviate the nation’s trade imbalance with China.
The lone bilateral issue between India and the United States at the World Trade Organisation, which involves restrictions by New Delhi on specific agricultural imports entering the nation, will also be discussed further between the two countries, according to the statement. Six further issues were settled amicably early this year.