INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Apple, Cisco and Dell products are among the goods from US companies being caught up in India's border tensions with China, as Indian ports
hold up imports from China, two sources told Reuters on Wednesday.Though no government notice has been issued, customs officers at major
Indian port have held back containers coming from China, seeking additional clearances, government and industry sources have said.The move
comes amid heightened tensions between India and China after border clashes last week that saw at least 20 Indian soldiers killed.The
US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), a lobby group representing US firms, told commerce ministry in a letter dated June 23 that
lack of clarity and delays could disrupt business and manufacturing operations."Authorities have abruptly halted the clearance of industry
consignments coming in from China (and perhaps other destinations) at most major ports and airports," USISPF said in the letter, seen by
Reuters."This will send a chilling signal to foreign investors who look for predictability and transparency," it said.The commerce ministry
did not respond to a request for comment.Two industry sources said Apple, Cisco, Dell and Ford Motor Co products were among those held up
Electronics components of Taiwan's Foxconn, a contract manufacturer for Apple in India, were also affected, a third source said.It was not
immediately clear which ports were holding back the goods.Apple, Cisco and Foxconn did not respond to requests for comment
A Dell spokeswoman declined to comment, while Ford said a consignment of auto parts was held up at a port in Chennai and the company was
providing information sought by the authorities.The delays come as India is restarting factory operations after a nationwide lockdown to
tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.Indian electronics and mobile industry group ICEA said its members had been told Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi
Airports would have a new examination procedure for all consignments coming from China.Normally, goods for regular importers are cleared
automatically, ICEA said in a letter to the finance ministry, urging it to intervene.Finance Ministry, which oversees the customs
department, did not respond to a request for comment.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by TheIndianSubcontinent staff
and is published from a syndicated feed.)
