India is making it mandatory for all electronic devices to use USB Type-C charging by March 2025 but it seems like some of these electronic devices are going to get exemption. There are chances that the government could exclude feature phones, wearables and hearables from this list.
According to reports, India may exclude these devices from having a USB Type-C port. This exclusion is being considered after industry participants who may be affected by the rule, showed concerns about the increased input prices. The addition of Type-C port to devices like feature phones or hearables will lead to an increase in their prices.
According to a senior official who’s been quoted by these reports, India has a huge market of feature phones which do not come with type-C charging port. The country also serves as a big market for wearables and hearables which come with different kinds of charging ports. The situation here is different from the markets of Europe where most of the people own an iPhone. The government has therefore created another committee under the existing one to discuss universal charger for wearables and hearables.
India is planning to have a standard charger policy for all electronic devices. The move draws inspiration from the European Union’s latest ruling that makes it mandatory for all phones, cameras and laptops sold in the region to come with Type-C charging ports. The aim is to cut down on the mounting electronic waste and support sustainability.
The Indian government in consultation with industry stakeholders is planning to have two standard chargers- one for all smart devices and the other for feature phones. The aim is to cut down on e-waste that India is producing every year.
Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) shows that India has seen an increase in the growth of e-waste since 2018. It shows that India produced 7.71 lakh tonnes of e-waste in 2018-2019 which increased to 10.14 lakh tonnes in 2019-2020.
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