ICA News

Mobile industry body Indian Cellular Association has sought a 10-year tax holiday to scale up mobile manufacturing to international standards to help India become competitive as against preferred destinations like China and Vietnam.

Mobile phone industry body Indian Cellular Association has asked the government to allow use of old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes for the purchase of handsets and claimed that their sales have come down by 50 per cent due to cash crunch post demonetisation.

Prices of feature phones are expected to rise up to 5 per cent soon as decline in supply of key components from China following closure of some factories is jacking up material costs, industry players said.

Noida-based Ringing Bells is launching India's most affordable smartphone, priced at Rs 251, a move that is set to disrupt the booming Indian mobile handset market.

The Indian cellular industry has expressed concern that manufacturing is moving out of the country to Vietnam and says the government needs to create a business-friendly environment to attract more investors.

Mobile handset makers' body Indian Cellular Association (ICA) has appealed to the Maharashtra government to reduce VAT from 12.5 percent to 5 percent on mobile phones.