License to lease: How WTO provision became tool for nations to curb imports

While a WTO challenge to India's import curbs on laptops, tablets and personal computers may not happen anytime soon, how it implements the notification will be under close scrutiny

On June 12, 2020, India imposed restrictions on imports of pneumatic tires used for cars, buses, lorries, scooters, and motorcycles, per the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures under the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Three years later, India is again utilising the same multilateral trade rules to limit imports, this time targeting personal computers, laptops, and tablets. The new regulations mandate companies to obtain licenses from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) to import these items.

While India has frequently used this provision to curb imports to encourage domestic manufacturing, it is not alone.

"Trade-Restrictive Measures"

According to the 2023