India Proposes Customs Duty Revisions

India recently proposed simplifying and adjusting its customs duties, including by reducing the number of basic duty rates on goods that aren’t textiles or agricultural items from 21 to 13, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported Feb. 21. The country also proposed cutting duties on chimney heat coils from 20% to 15%, increasing rates on electric kitchen chimneys from 7.5% to 15%, decreasing duties on TV panel parts to 2.5% and decreasing rates for “acid grade fluorspar” and “crude glycerine.” Proposed duty changes also could affect inputs for shrimp feed, mobile phones, metals and rubber. An exemption for electric vehicle battery manufacturing chemicals also has been proposed.