According to sources within the industry, devices from companies like Apple and Xiaomi have been facing import delays in India due to the country’s increased control over quality clearances for devices originating from China. Apparently, where applications to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) usually used to take around 15 days to get approved, many applications have been taking much longer now, some even being stuck under approval for over two months.
India’s stricter approach towards electronics manufactured in China started back in August after violent clashes between the Indian and Chinese armed forces on the disputed border between the countries. Since then, there have been reports of Indian authorities denying Chinese goods entry into the country. The Government of India has also banned hundreds of Chinese apps from the country, starting off with apps like TikTok, PUBG Mobile, and just yesterday, AliExpress — all of which have been banned in India citing reasons of national security.
Also according to the sources, Apple executives called on the BIS to fast track approval for the iPhone 12, and gave assurances that the Cupertino giant will be expanding its operations in India. Apple does manufacture a small percentage of its phones in India itself, and plans to further expand these manufacturing operations are reportedly in the works. However, the majority of Apple devices, including the new iPhone 12, are manufactured in China by Apple’s manufacturing partners.
