Asia Express
India Defers PC Import Restrictions Deadline to October 31, 2023
August 07, 2023

In a significant move to bolster its domestic electronic manufacturing industry and enhance national security, India's Ministry of Commerce issued new regulations on August 3 to extend implementation of import restrictions on PCs until October 31, 2023, as reported by the Commercial Daily News on August 7. These regulations mandate that several categories of electronic devices, including personal computers (PCs), notebook PCs, and tablets, must obtain a valid license from the Indian government before being exported to India. With these new regulations, the government's objectives are to reduce reliance on imported electronic products and stimulate the growth of the domestic electronics manufacturing industry. Regardless of the extension, the latest import restrictions, however, are expected to still directly impact the revenues of brands such as Apple, Samsung, Dell, and HP in India, as obtaining government authorization is a time-consuming process. 

MIC (Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute) has unveiled a promising outlook for the global PC market, predicting an increase in shipment volumes comprising of notebook and desktop PCs. Predictions indicate that the combined shipment volume is anticipated to reach 264.8 million units in 2024, up 5.2% compared to 2023. A significant focal point of this surge is the Asia Pacific region, including India, which is anticipated to play a pivotal role in the global PC landscape. In this region, the estimated global notebook PC shipments are set to reach 54.8 million units in 2023, accounting for 31% of the total and only behind North America's 31.5%. Meanwhile, global desktop PC shipments to the Asia Pacific region are predicted to claim the lion's share, accounting for a remarkable 46.8% of the total shipments in 2023. This dominance translates to an impressive 34.9 million desktop PCs being shipped this year to this region.