New Delhi, October 13, 2024 (Xinhua) — The Indian government on Sunday imposed import restrictions on parts and components of pocket lighters with immediate effect, a move that will help encourage domestic manufacturing and reduce dependence on imported goods from China.
“Import of parts and components of pocket lighters, gas fuel, non-refillable or refillable lighters (lighters)… are restricted with immediate effect,” the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification.
Import of lighters priced below Rs 20 has already been banned. Import of pocket lighters, gas lighters, non-refillable or refillable pocket lighters is also prohibited.
Last year, the government also issued mandatory quality standard specifications for flame retardant lighters to curb import of substandard goods and promote domestic manufacturing.
Items under the Quality Control Order (QCO) cannot be manufactured, sold/traded, imported and stored unless they bear the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) mark.
Imports of lightweight parts were valued at $3.8 million during April-July of this fiscal year. It was $4.86 million for the 2023-24 season. Parts are mainly imported from China.
Other sources of lightweight imports include Spain, Turkey and the UAE.
In September 2022, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin urged the Centre to ban single-use plastic lighters to help the domestic matchbox industry.
These plastic lighters, which are imported legally and illegally from countries like China, are sold for Rs 10 and can replace 20 matchboxes. Moreover, he said, these non-refillable lighters generate a large amount of plastic waste, which damages the environment and also affects health.
The matchbox manufacturing industry is a major source of employment in southern Tamil Nadu.
India has been taking a series of measures to reduce imports from China, its second-largest trading partner after the United States. The country’s merchandise imports from China increased from $98.5 billion in 2022-23 to $101.73 billion in 2023-24. However, exports to the neighboring country grew at a slower pace, totaling $16.65 billion in the last fiscal year compared to $15.3 billion in 2022-23.
India’s trade deficit with China has been increasing since it was $44 billion in 2020-21. It was $85 billion in 2023-24.
