India will ban duty-free import of flat-screen televisions from August 26

[elec4pal]

TR is Transfer of Residence. It is not for casual imports, it is for people bringing their household to or back to India. The person must have been living outside of India for a stipulated time.

TR gives you allowances for a number of used items on a one of this, one of that, basis. You can find out about it at the Indian Customs site, or maybe google direct.

I don't think that it applies for hand-carried goods anyway.

Thanks for clearing that, So if I stay abroad for more than 2 years then I would be eligible for TR. But whether customs will bother for the LED TV even if I go back after 2 years.

 

[echo77]

CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS MUMBAI ZONE - III

Please refer to above. If you are coming back under Transfer of Residence, then your TV will face the concession duty of 15.3% against normal duty of 36%.

Articles not allowed duty free under TR, but at a concessional rate of duty of 15.3% (Annexure-II items of Baggage Rules / Table-II of the TR Notification, 137/90-Cus, as amended) :-

Annexure-II items
1. Colour Television / Monochrome Television.
2. Digital Video Disc Player
3. Video Home Theatre System.
4. Dish Washer.
5. Music System.
6. Air-Conditioner.
7. Domestic refrigerators of capacity above 300 litres or its equivalent.
8. Deep Freezer.
9. Microwave Oven.
10. Video camera or the combination of any such video camera with one or more of the following goods, namely:-

(a) Television Receiver;
(b) Sound recording or reproducing apparatus;
(c) Video reproducing apparatus.

11. Word Processing Machine.
11. Fax Machine.
13. Portable Photocopying Machine.
14. Vessel.
15. Aircraft.
16. Cinematographic films of 35 mm and above.
17. Gold or Silver , in any form , other than ornaments.

Duty Free Items:

Annexure-III items (Table-I of the TR Notification, 137/90-Cus, as amended)- The following 6 items which are listed under Annexure-III of the Baggage Rules are allowed free of duty under Transfer of Residence subject to certain conditions given below.
Annexure-III items
1. Video Cassette Recorder/Video Cassette Player/Video Television Receiver/Video Cassette Disk Player.
2. Washing Machine.
3. Electrical or Liquefied Petroleum Gas Cooking Range.
4. Personal Computer (Desktop Computer).
5. Notebook Computer (Laptop Computer).
6. Domestic Refrigerators of capacity up to 300 litres or its equivalent.

 

[just4kix]

This week I came back from a trip abroad. I did not see a single passenger with flat screen TV.

 

[Vishal]

This week I came back from a trip abroad. I did not see a single passenger with flat screen TV.

No wonder the rupee is up

 

[Dirac]

This week I came back from a trip abroad. I did not see a single passenger with flat screen TV.

The Indian government instead of strictly curbing gold imports, is targeting tvs.
Just a showoff to give an impression that they are taking extreme measures to stop the fall of rupee.

 

[kissenchand]

Falling rupee = Rising deposit in Swiss bank account (in rupee terms). Every coin has two sides!

 

[gras4]

Are projectors in the duty list now?

 

[spiderman]

The Indian government instead of strictly curbing gold imports, is targeting tvs.
Just a showoff to give an impression that they are taking extreme measures to stop the fall of rupee.

Completely agree. I don't think the imposition of duty on TV had anything to do with saving the fall in rupee. Tourists can still go and buy expensive watches and handbags which are more expensive than a $500 TV set.

All this is just a eye wash. The Indian TV manufacturing lobby led by the MD of Samsung are responsible for making sure Indian middle class do not have access to cheaper options. It is back to license Raj days.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I don't think the imposition of duty on TV had anything to do with saving the fall in rupee. Tourists can still go and buy expensive watches and handbags which are more expensive than a $500 TV set.

But it is only the luxury buyers who do that stuff (add hifi!) whereas everyone thinks of a TV as an essential, so anyone who can afford airfares is likely to have a better, bigger TV high on their shopping list.

It is also, as I mentioned earlier, much easier to catch the TV buyers. They are big things, in big boxes!

 

[just4kix]

I am still not with the mango mood (?? ???). So what is the big deal if government is charging full duty on TV and not allowing the exemption limit on it? Afterall, strictly by the definition, a TV cannot be considered part of "personal effects". The government was not clear in defining "personal effects" and the customs, in the absence of clear guidance, was allowing TV under this cover. Now the government has spelt this out. It is also quite possible that the govt. may make a definitive list of "personal effects" and then most hi-fi equipment including costly projectors, AVRs, etc. will become fully dutiable. At the moment, govt. narrowed down to TV because almost every second person was bringing a TV in.

Then again, the govt. has not increased the rate of duty either. So a few (and a very few) genuine people and a lot of people conducting this "TV import" business are affected.

Perhaps, the decision was driven by pressure from manufacturers like Sony, Samsung, LG, etc. But even then what? Was this the one and only source of flat panel TVs? It is not as in the old days of pre-1994, when "goodies" were not available in India and the passengers had to pay a whopping 255% duty.

 

[subbubusk]

I am still not with the mango mood (?? ???). So what is the big deal if government is charging full duty on TV and not allowing the exemption limit on it? Afterall, strictly by the definition, a TV cannot be considered part of "personal effects". The government was not clear in defining "personal effects" and the customs, in the absence of clear guidance, was allowing TV under this cover. Now the government has spelt this out. It is also quite possible that the govt. may make a definitive list of "personal effects" and then most hi-fi equipment including costly projectors, AVRs, etc. will become fully dutiable. At the moment, govt. narrowed down to TV because almost every second person was bringing a TV in.

Then again, the govt. has not increased the rate of duty either. So a few (and a very few) genuine people and a lot of people conducting this "TV import" business are affected.




Perhaps, the decision was driven by pressure from manufacturers like Sony, Samsung, LG, etc. But even then what? Was this the one and only source of flat panel TVs? It is not as in the old days of pre-1994, when "goodies" were not available in India and the passengers had to pay a whopping 255% duty.

If the manufactures like Sony,Samsung,LG etc have the pricing equal to those gulf,us,singapore means who will import tv when travelling,Why those mongoose brains think in that line and reduce the price here itself.Then this saga of getting tv from abroad would die.

 

[just4kix]

I don't think that it is only the manufacturers to blame. The first and foremost is the customs duty charged on components - and most TV components are imported in India and then assembled. Next the excise duty gets charged on the manufactured item basic factory price. So tax on tax. Then there is transportation cost. Add VAT on the final price to deal. The third tax on tax. Natrurally the price baloons up.

Then we always tend to compare prices with Bangkok, Singapore, US, Dubai, etc. where taxes are low. Check the price in Europe. It is more or less the same as in India.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

It is true about the duties and taxes, but what is often forgotten is that most other countries have them too.

 

[subbubusk]

We always compare to fellows better than us right ,not with worse than us.If we compare with zimbabwe,afghanistan,somalia we may find ourselves better.Why tax on tax.Is tv a sophisticated or a need in daytoday's . If we can get 10k for 32 incher in india itself tv isn't it affordable to Mango republic.Why tax on tax ? Justkix these are not questions for you.I have good regards on you.Just spared my thoughts.

 

[just4kix]

No offence taken. Well, I am not asking anyone to compare with Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, etc. I am seeking comparison with countries such as Germany, UK, France, Scandanaviam nations, other BRICS nations, etc. I recently came back from Kazakhstan where I found that electronic goods are twice as costly as here. Basically, economics of each country is different. Countries such as Malayasia, UAE, other Gulf Nations, etc. are rich in oil/gas and hence don't need much revenue from citizen in the form of taxes. Countries such as USA are completely market driven - they like large turnover of goods and people spending. Hence they keep lower taxes and make money on the large churn of goods sold. Europe, especially Western part, has heavy burden of state welfare and hence need to keep taxes high - so is true with ANZ. India has other compulsions which everyone knows.

Basically govt. was the real looser in the "TV import" phenomenon. Manufacturers were not real sufferers in the real sense. The Indian arm suffered while the foreign arm gained but the overall world balance sheet was still recording a sale. So while manufacturers may have applied all the pressure, the govt. must have tilted only because they realized the loss to the exchequer.

"Tax on Tax" is not just on TV/Electronics. It is everywhere on all manufactured items - from a simple paper pin to an automobile. This form of tax is known as indirect taxes. Excise, Special Excise, Customs, Ad Valorum Duty, Countervailing Duty, Cess for Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), etc. are all indirect taxes. Sales Tax, VAT, Income Tax, Service Tax, etc., on the other hand, are direct taxes.

p/s. 32" TV for 18-20K is possible. 10K? No idea!! At one time, a 29" CRT was sold in excess of 50K. Now, if sold at all, the price is 15K.

 

[just4kix]

It is true about the duties and taxes, but what is often forgotten is that most other countries have them too.

Of course, other countries have it too. But the rate is much lower. For instance, they have excise duty in USA but such duty is much higher on items such as Cigarettes than consumer durables/non-durables.

 

[travel_living]

Did ANy One Import TV from Outside to India after 26th Aug. Please share exp. Thanks

 

[MM_Klm]

Repeating the above question.

 

[Dirac]

I am in the process of doing it. I will update you once its done.

 

[anubisX]

What are you getting ?