Govt seeks details of cheap imports from China: Sources

The government has sought productwise details of cheap imports, comparison with domestic prices and tax disadvantage, if any, from industry to curb low quality inbound shipments especially from China and boost domestic manufacturing, sources said.

They said a high level meeting to discuss ways to promote Atma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India), including cut in import dependence from China, also took place recently in the Prime Minister's office.

Industry was asked to send comments and suggestions on certain number of goods and raw materials imported from China, which include wrist watches, wall clocks, ampoules, glass rods and tubes, hair cream, hair shampoos, face powder, eye and lip make up preparations, printing ink, paints and varnishes, and some tobacco items, one of the sources said.

Meanwhile, trader's body CAIT has urged Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to make it mandatory for every e-commerce portal to mention 'country of origin' on each product sold at their platforms, so that buyers can make an informed decision.

Most e-commerce portals are selling Chinese goods, about which the consumer remains unaware, said the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which has launched a campaign for boycott of Chinese goods.

"I have asked him (Goyal) to amend the FDI policy Press Note no 2 which specifies do's for FDI backed e-commerce companies and framing of a general rule for Indian e-commerce firms,” CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said.

"CAIT has also demanded that the Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI) cancel the sponsorship of Vivo and sponsorship of any other Chinese Company," the trader's body said, adding it has urged the Indian

Olympic Association (IOA) to withdraw sponsorship of Chinese companies, if any.

The other details sought include import surge data between 2014-15 and 2018-19; domestic prices of similar goods that are made here, domestic capacity, imports under free trade agreements, and inverted duty issue, if any.

An industry source said that they are preparing their views on all those products and would soon send to the commerce and industry ministry.

The exercise to reduce and curb imports from China assumes significance in the wake of border tensions between the two countries.

China accounts for about 14% of India's imports and is a major supplier for sectors like cell phones, telecom, power, plastic toys and critical pharma ingredients.

The government has recently put import restrictions on tyres, while also making its prior approval mandatory for foreign investments from countries that share land border with India to curb "opportunistic takeovers" of domestic firms, following COVID-19 pandemic, a move which will restrict FDI from China.