Handset industry wants 4% incentive under MEIS to be reinstated

NEW DELHI: The handset industry has urged the government to extend additional export sops until December 31 to bolster India’s mobile phone exports.

With the expiry of additional ad-hoc incentive for January-March, the benefit for mobile phone makers under the Merchandise Export Incentives Scheme (MEIS) has fallen back to 2% from 4% even though the scheme has been extended to December 31.

“Partial restoration of MEIS is a step in the right direction,” Pankaj Mohindroo, chairman of the Indian Cellular and Electronics Association, told ET. “MEIS should be, to begin with, restored to the pre-March 31 level, which was 4% in the case of mobile phones.”