ICEA welcoms rollback duty on open cells

The India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA), the apex industry body representing the electronics industry in India has welcomed the decision of the Government to roll back import duty on Open Cells used for the manufacture of LED and LCD Televisions.

“ICEA appropriate regulatory interventions must be initiated to try and dissuade imports of LED/ LCD TVs at all cost and these products must be Made in India. Value addition and generation of jobs remain to be the prime focus of the Government and that of ICEA”, Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman, India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA) said in a statement.

“The rampant smuggling and misdeclaration of Open cell as tempered glass to undervalue imports were coming in the way of organized manufacturing. There is no incentive now to mis-declare Open cell which is now at zero duty for manufacture of TVs. This change in duty structure will also make imports competitive since zero duty from ASEAN under FTA was in competition with the general duty of 5%," he said.

Reform will lead to the arrest of the grey market and push to organised manufacturing” he said.