Mobile handsets likely to cost 10% more post-GST

Government planning additional customs duty on imported handsets

The government is mulling additional customs duty on imported mobile handsets, which could make smartphones dearer by up to 10 per cent. 

The government has set up an inter-ministerial committee to set rates of customs duty on finished mobile handsets once the goods and services tax (GST) becomes effective. 

“The initiative to impose an additional 5-10 per cent customs duty on imported handsets is a welcome step. It will motivate local manufacturers to align themselves to the government’s ‘Make in India’ vision,” said Manish Sharma, president of the Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association.

The move, aimed at protecting local