Now, Chinese Toasters & ACs May Also be Out of Indian Market as Centre Readies List 2 for Import Ban

New Delhi: Responding to the nationwide clamour for boycott of Chinese goods amid the Ladakh face-off, the Indian government is preparing a list of 'Made in China' goods. While a list of cheap goods was already being prepared, it seems that another record is being made of that will cover items from sectors like consumer goods, battery parts, auto components, electrical machinery as well as industrial goods and machinery. Hence, impacting import of products ranging from toasters to elevators.

According to a CNBC-TV18 report, the Department For Promotion Of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has prepared a second list covering 1,172 Chinese items, and has sought comments from India Inc on import curbs.

Consumer goods included in the new DPIIT list includes toasters, refrigerators, air conditioners, coffee makers, microwave ovens, shavers, cutlery, and even sewing machines. Electrical goods where DPIIT wants to impose import curbs include circuit breakers, high capacity switches, resistors, generators as well as DC motors.

The list also includes goods like elevators, roller bearings, valves, pneumatic tools, parts of food processing machinery and coal handling plants. Critical battery related items like lithium and primary cells are also included in the list, the report stated.

Since the violent clash between Indian and Chinese armies in Galwan Valley, the traders have been urging the Centre to direct e-commerce firms to restrict the sale of items from the Dragonland, which imports products worth USD 74 billion to India annually. Of the total import from China, retail traders sell goods worth around USD 17 billion, mostly comprising toys, household items, mobiles, electric and electronic goods and cosmetics among other things, which could possibly be replaced by Indian products, a national trading body said.

On Monday, a similar report by CNBC-TV18 stated that the Centre was working on a strategy to stop the import of non-essential, cheap and low-quality goods from China.

The list has been shared with trade organisations such as CII and FICCI. It includes items such as paints and varnishes, printing ink, make-up, hair gels, video game consoles, sports goods, cigarettes, toughened glass, rear view mirrors and watches, the report stated.

A meeting was held by the Prime Minister's Office on Saturday to discuss the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, and the curb of imports from China was on the agenda.