India delaying the import of Apple iPhones, Xiaomi and Oppo devices built in China
Source: Reuters According to Reuters, The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is hindering and delaying the import of smartphones and smart wearables from China since August this year amid the ongoing border tensions between the neighbouring countries. Among the blocked imported goods are the newly launched Apple iPhone 12 models, as well as smart wearables by Oppo and Xiaomi. The BIS usually processes the imports within 15 days, but reports are coming in that the same paperwork is now taking up to two months to complete. Several Apple India executives have also affirmed the BIS that the company will expand its assembly operations in India, but so far nothing yet has come out of this communication. The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, has been promoting self-reliance through the AtmaNirbhar Bharat initiative to boost the local production capabilities in the nation. The traders and several indigenous groups are calling for boycotting imported goods from China, following the violent border clash from earlier this year. Reuters adds that back in July a special license was suddenly required for the import of TVs, a move that was aimed to hinder Samsung and Xiaomi from importing their panels from China.
