India has removed import duties on a swathe of machinery and components used to make electronics, from lithium-ion battery cells to certain smartphone parts, in the latest push to lower costs for hardware built on its soil.
The measure lands as the country presses to court iPhone and Samsung makers and pull more of the global electronics supply chain away from China.
The Department of Revenue, part of the finance ministry, issued the notification on 8 July, amending an earlier customs order, with the changes taking effect immediately. The exemptions run until 31 March 2029.
At the centre of the package is battery production. The government widened the list of machinery that can be imported duty-free for making lithium-ion cells to roughly 85 categories, covering welding machines, electrolyte injection systems, laser notching equipment, and cell formation and inspection lines, among others.
Officials said around 85% of the components used in lithium-ion cell manufacturing are now exempt from import tax. The change is aimed squarely at the cost of standing up domestic cell plants for phones and electric vehicles.
