September 7, 2023

When India abruptly announced import restrictions on personal computers and laptops in early August, it caught major suppliers such as Apple, Samsung and Dell by surprise.

By curtailing imports from major hardware manufacturers, the move was ostensibly aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to boost manufacturing under his “Make in India” program and position India as a high-tech manufacturing hub for everything from consumer electronics to semiconductors.

Yet, these shades of protectionism seem at odds with India’s eagerness to burnish its global reputation as the country prepares to host leaders from the Group of 20 leading industrialized and developing economies this weekend.

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