Laptop Imports: Ban on laptop imports: Can you buy from abroad, duties to be paid and other things to know

The Indian government ‘restricted’ the import of laptops, tablets, all-in-one personal computers, ultra-small form factor computers, and servers in order to push the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) in a notification said that companies will now require licences for importing laptops and tablets.

Now, there are people who often travel internationally, and tend to bring laptops and tablets from other countries, mostly owing to affordability.

Now the question arises, “Can you now buy a unit and bring it back with you to India?” Here we explain how the new rules will impact this.You can bring one laptop with ‘restrictions’
The government has listed certain exemptions on laptop imports. If you purchase one unit of a laptop, tablet, all-in-one personal computer or ultra-small form factor computer, for example, from the US, you can bring that unit to India without any restriction. However, the user shall pay duty as applicable.
The exemption is for purchases from a store as well as on those units that have been bought from e-commerce portals through post or courier.
Secondly, there is also an exemption from seeking import licensing for up to 20 items per consignment. The restrictions will not be applicable only if the goods are purchased for R&D, testing, benchmarking and evaluation, repair and return, and product development purposes.
“Given imports shall be allowed subject to condition that the imported goods shall be used for the stated purposes only and will not be sold. Further, after the intended purpose, the products would either be destroyed beyond use or re-exported,” the notification said.
Furthermore, the new curbs are also not applicable to imports under baggage rules. The government is exempting laptops, tablets, all-in-one personal computers, and Ultra small form factor Computers and Servers which are an essential part of a Capital Good.