Budget 2018: Import duties upped 5 to 10%; consumers to feel the pinch

LG, Panasonic, ZTE, Akai, HP and Videocon have, however, welcomed the move saying it will boast local manufacturing in long-term

Soon prices of a number of commonly used consumer goods will rise sharply with the government raising customs duty five to 10 per cent on mobile phones, television sets, imported perfumes, shoes, watches, toys, video game consoles and edible oil. The move, intended to encourage local manufacturing, is the second after a similar increase in December 2017.

Among handset makers, these measures may jeopardise Apple’s plans for India. According to Tarun Pathak, associate director, Counterpoint Research, while, other major brands from India and China are already manufacturing locally, Apple imports 90 per cent of its flagship iPhone devices from China and