Government Lowers Import Duty on EV Components

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has carved out a separate category for parts and components of an electric vehicle for which customs duty has been lowered to 10-15 percent.

To promote domestic assembling of electric vehicles, the government has lowered customs duty on import of parts and components of such vehicles to 10 to 15 percent. Until now, vehicle parts and components imported for assembly in India attracted an import duty of 15 to 30 percent.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has carved out a separate category for parts and components of an electric vehicle for which customs duty has been lowered to 10-15 percent.

Further, the CBIC has removed customs duty exemption to battery packs for electric vehicles and also doubled the duty on battery packs for mobile phones.

The new rates of duties will come into effect from Wednesday, the CBIC said.

Henceforth, import of battery packs for electric vehicles will attract 5 percent tax. Customs duty on battery packs for mobile phone has been doubled to 20 percent.

EY Tax Partner Abhishek Jain said, “These customs duty rate rationalisations while may increase the cost of import of these goods, but should definitely boost the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the government.”

Recently, A government panel led by cabinet secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha has proposed an array of incentives for electric carmakers as well as buyers of electric vehicles in an effort to push e-mobility in the country from both the demand and supply side.

The panel had recommended lowering the basic customs duty on components besides a lower GST rate to encourage manufacturers to take up large-scale production of e-vehicles.