New Delhi: All smart devices sold must have USB-C in India

New Delhi: Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh announced on Wednesday that India will adopt USB-C type as a standard charging connector for smart gadgets after stakeholders reached an agreement at an inter-ministerial task force meeting.
In order to standardise charging ports for all compatible smart devices, the government held extensive discussions, although it has not yet made a decision regarding chargers for low-cost feature phones.
Consumers won't need a different charger for each new item they buy thanks to universal chargers. Additionally, the change will drastically cut down on e-waste.

Also Read: Russia-Ukraine War: Ukraine fired the missile that struck Poland in response to approaching Russian missile

India is predicted to have produced 5 million tonnes of e-waste in 2021

According to a report by ASSOCHAM-EY titled Electronic Waste Management in India, India is predicted to have produced 5 million tonnes of e-waste in 2021, only falling short of China and the US.

Singh added, “During the meeting, a broad consensus emerged among stakeholders on adoption of USB Type-C as a charging port for electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops. Further, it was deliberated that a different charging port may be adopted for feature phones."

Standard ports and charging devices are becoming more prevalent in industrialised economies. The EU wants USB-C ports to become the norm for all electronics. According to a Bloomberg article, the EU passed provisional law on June 7 requiring cellphones, including Apple's iPhone, to include a USB-C connector for wired charging by the middle of 2024.
An important worry for India is that after the EU makes the switch, old phones and equipment might be dumped here, according to a second official who asked to remain anonymous.
The Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur, Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Technology, Confederation of Indian Industry, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change all sent delegates to the meeting on Wednesday.

A separate group has been established by the ministry of consumer affairs to look into the viability of standardising charging connectors for wearable technology like smart watches.

Also Read: AAP: Congress asks for the regularisation of all contract workers in Delhi following Kejriwal’s “promise”

What do officials inform?

According to the official, stakeholders decided on a phased roll-out of the standard charging port for "successful implementation and easy uptake".  For the welfare of consumers and to eliminate needless e-waste, industry should overcome resistance in adopting a uniform charging port.
The environment ministry will probably conduct an impact assessment to "analyse and examine" how switching to a standard charging port will affect the amount of electronic waste produced.

Ajay Garg, member, Electronic Industries Association of India, said, “Globally, the shift is towards USB-C ports, so it would make sense for us to adopt it. One important point is that the rate of technological obsolescence in the electronic industry is very high and what is in today, is out tomorrow."

The consumer affairs secretary had informed industry representatives when inviting them for consultations that the Center is of the opinion that India should move to two types of standard charging devices, one for smart phones and portable devices like laptops and tablets, and another for feature phones, which have a larger market share.

Officials anticipate that once a policy for universal chargers is in place, phone manufacturers will deduct the cost of chargers from product packaging as the majority of users will already have the necessary chargers and charging accessories.

Keep watching our YouTube Channel ‘DNP INDIA’. Also, please subscribe and follow us on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and TWITTER