After EU, India to make common Type-C charging port mandatory for all smart devices

After the European Union, India is also moving to make USB Type-C as the compulsory common charging port for all smart devices sold in the country.The decision, if implemented, could have serious repercussions for Apple Inc., as its iPhone doesn'thave a Type-C charging port.

The decision was taken on Wednesday by consensus of all stakeholders at an inter-ministerial task force constituted by thePrime Minister Narendra Modi-led government. The task force held wide-ranging discussions on the possibility of making uniform charging ports for all compatible smart devices and another for low-cost feature phones.

“During the meeting, a broad consensus emerged among stakeholders on the adoption of USB Type-C as a charging port for electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops etc. Further, it was deliberated that a different charging port may be adopted for feature phones," consumer affairs secretary Rohit Kumar Singh was quoted as saying in Indian media.

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The meeting was attended by representatives from industry associations such as the Confederation of Indian Industry, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and educational institutions including IITKanpur, and IIT (BHU),Varanasi.

In the meeting, the stakeholders agreed on a phased roll-out of uniform charging ports for “effective implementation and easy adoption”.

World Business Watch | Common charging port: India moves towards USB-C

The move is aimed at cutting down massive amounts of electronic waste generated in the country.According to an ASSOCHAM-EY report titled ‘Electronic Waste Management in India’, India is estimated to have generated 5 million tonnes of e-waste in 2021, ranking behind only China and the US.

The officials believe that a shift towards universal chargers would bring down the cost of chargers in product packaging, as most consumers will have the necessary chargers and charging accessories.

EU was the first region to push for a universal Type-C charge port. In June this year, they passed a law making the USB-C port mandatory for a whole range of electronic devices, including smartphones, by 2024-end. Some Democrats in the US have reportedly been pushing for a similar law.

Brazil, too, has moved towards a similar initiative, with the government pushing Apple to roll out its devices with Type-C ports.

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