A Government official said on Tuesday that mobile device companies in India will have to introduce USB Type-C as a standard charging port on their products by March 2025.
The state-run Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has set quality standards for the charging port, which the consumer affairs division wants device makers to include in their products.
"The BIS has issued the requirements for Type-C chargers, the government will implement two popular types of charging ports for mobile phones and portable electronic gadgets”, said Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.
The government set the 2025 deadline after consulting with industry stakeholders on the standards and considering global supply chain constraints and product availability. The deadline will follow the European Union schedule for Single Ports of Shipment standards.
“There is widespread industry and government consensus that the use of USB Type-C charging ports could become mandatory six months after the European Union implements USB charging port standards in 2024, as product manufacturers of Electronics have an integrated global supply chain,” Singh said.
Previously, the Central Agency for Consumer Protection formed a subgroup made up of representatives from industry, educational institutions and others to study the feasibility of establishing a unified charging port.
Last month, stakeholders agreed to gradually implement a unified charging port for efficient deployment and easy adoption.
The Ministry of the Environment will be able to assess and study the potential impact of unified charging ports on electronic devices in relation to electronic waste.
The uniform charging port will be a step towards the LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) mission launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. LiFE advocates for "conscious and intentional use" by people around the world instead of "conscious and wasteful consumption".
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