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Electronics and solar

Import mobile phone parts

India's largest electronics import line; mobile PCBA pays 15% BCD and many sub-parts for phone making are duty-free.

Free to importHS 8517.79
Basic customs duty
15–20%
15% for mobile PCBA (tariff 20%); 15% tariff on other parts; Nil for many sub-parts used in phone manufacture
Social welfare surcharge
10% of BCD (nil where BCD is nil)
IGST
18%
18%
India’s imports, 2025-26
US$ 16.6 bn
from 66 countries

Tariff: 8517 79 10 (populated PCBs) 20%; 8517 79 90 (other parts) 15%. Budget 2024–25 (July 2024) cut the effective BCD on PCBA of cellular mobile phones and on mobile chargers to 15%, and Budget 2025–26 exempted inputs, parts and sub-parts of PCBA, camera modules and connectors for phone manufacture. These phone-specific concessions sit in a separate notification (57/2017-Customs as amended), not in 45/2025-Customs, and most need the IGCR end-use procedure. IGST is 18% (Schedule II, heading 8517). Check the exact rate for your part on ICEGATE. CBIC — Customs Tariff of India (import tariff, chapter PDFs) ↗

What is imported

Phone assemblers, contract manufacturers and repair businesses import PCB assemblies, camera modules, display assemblies and other parts. Imports under 8517 79 were about US$ 16,594 million in 2025-26, mostly from China, Ireland, Hong Kong and Vietnam (TradeStat). Duty depends heavily on whether the part is for manufacturing or for resale.

Import policy · Free to import

Free under ITC(HS) Schedule 1.

Licences and registrations you need

  • BIS (CRS)Phone batteries, chargers and adapters are on the CRS list and need BIS registration in the manufacturer's name before import, even as spares.crsbis.in ↗
  • CPCB (EPR — batteries)If you import battery packs for sale, register as a producer on the CPCB battery EPR portal.eprbattery.cpcb.gov.in ↗

What is checked at the port

  • Classification: a PCBA, a display assembly and a finished phone each have a different rate.
  • IGCR intimation and end-use records when a manufacturing concession is claimed.
  • BIS registration marks on batteries and chargers.

Practical tips

  • Repair and spares traders pay the normal rate; only registered manufacturers get the end-use concessions.
  • Keep part numbers and the phone model they fit on the invoice; it speeds up classification.

Where new importers go wrong

  • Importing loose chargers or batteries without BIS registration — they are held or sent back.
  • Declaring a near-complete phone kit as parts to pay less duty.
Sources (9)
  1. CBIC — Customs Tariff of India (import tariff, chapter PDFs)
  2. Union Budget 2024–25 (July 2024) — Budget Speech with Annexure to Part B
  3. Union Budget 2025–26 — Budget Speech with Annexure to Part B (customs changes)
  4. CBIC — Notification 9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate), in force 22.09.2025
  5. ICEGATE — Customs duty and tariff look-up
  6. BIS — Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) portal
  7. CPCB — EPR portal for battery waste
  8. DGFT — ITC(HS) import policy (Schedule 1)
  9. Commerce Ministry TradeStat — commodity-wise imports by country (FY 2025-26)

Import data

Where India buys mobile phone parts

India’s imports from the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, financial years.

Imports, 2025-26
US$ 16.6 bn
Change from 2024-25
+9.2%
Supplying countries
66
Biggest supplier
China
65%
China: US$ 10.8 bnIreland: US$ 3.21 bnHong Kong: US$ 1.01 bnVietnam: US$ 825 mnSouth Korea: US$ 281 mnTaiwan: US$ 83 mnSingapore: US$ 73.9 mnUnited States of America: US$ 70 mnThailand: US$ 69.1 mnNetherlands: US$ 49.6 mnMexico: US$ 37.7 mnMalaysia: US$ 33 mnJapan: US$ 17.2 mnGermany: US$ 8.3 mnIsrael: US$ 6.1 mnChina: US$ 10.8 bnChinaIreland: US$ 3.21 bnIrelandHong Kong: US$ 1.01 bnHong KongVietnam: US$ 825 mnVietnamSouth Korea: US$ 281 mnTaiwan: US$ 83 mnSingapore: US$ 73.9 mnSingaporeUnited States of America: US$ 70 mnUnited States of AmericaThailand: US$ 69.1 mnNetherlands: US$ 49.6 mnMexico: US$ 37.7 mnMalaysia: US$ 33 mnJapan: US$ 17.2 mnGermany: US$ 8.3 mnIsrael: US$ 6.1 mnIndia
Where India imports mobile phone parts from — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
n/a2020-21n/a2021-222022-23: US$ 9.07 bn9.1k2022-232023-24: US$ 11 bn11k2023-242024-25: US$ 15.2 bn15k2024-252025-26: US$ 16.6 bn17k2025-26
India’s mobile phone parts imports · US$ million · year not shown

Biggest supplying countries

Name2025-26Change
1ChinaUS$ 10.8 bn+36.4%
2IrelandUS$ 3.21 bn-16.4%
3Hong KongUS$ 1.01 bn-16.8%
4VietnamUS$ 825 mn+5.5%
5South KoreaUS$ 281 mn+1.9%
6TaiwanUS$ 83 mn-89.7%
7SingaporeUS$ 73.9 mn+37.9%
8United States of AmericaUS$ 70 mn+87.6%
9ThailandUS$ 69.1 mn-11.8%
10NetherlandsUS$ 49.6 mn+88.2%
11MexicoUS$ 37.7 mn+13%
12MalaysiaUS$ 33 mn-21%

Which sources are growing and shrinking

Growing sources

  1. ChinaUS$ 7.91 bn → US$ 10.8 bn+36.4%

Shrinking sources

  1. TaiwanUS$ 803 mn → US$ 83 mn-89.7%
  2. Hong KongUS$ 1.21 bn → US$ 1.01 bn-16.8%
  3. IrelandUS$ 3.83 bn → US$ 3.21 bn-16.4%

Which forms come in, and at what price

Imports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Others-of-others-of-elctrcl aparts for line telephny/telgrphy, including ...8517 79 90US$ 15.8 bn+14.4%10.71 bn piecesUS$ 1.48 per piece
Populated, loaded or stuffed printed circuit boards8517 79 10US$ 785 mn-43%531 mn piecesUS$ 1.48 per piece

Source: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

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