• Following the recent clashes with Chinese troops in Ladakh, there has been a growing clamour in the country to boycott goods from the neighbouring country.
• However, the development has caused an alarm among various industry bodies that are concerned about the adverse impact in the event of a blanket ban on exports in several sectors.

Practice question for mains:

Q.“Curbing Chinese imports to India will do more harm than any good”. Analyse.

How dependent is India on Chinese imports?

China accounts for a sizable portion of India’s top imports, especially where intermediate products or components and raw materials are concerned.  Electronics: The neighbouring country also accounts for 45 per cent of India’s total electronics imports.

• A third of machinery and almost two-fifths of organic chemicals that India purchases from the world come from China.
• Automotive parts and fertilizers are other items where China’s share in India’s import is more than 25 per cent.
• Several of these products are used by Indian manufacturers in the production of finished goods, thus thoroughly integrating China in India’s manufacturing supply chain.
• For instance India sources close to 90 per cent of certain mobile phone parts from China.

India’s export to China

• Even as an export market, China is a major partner for India. At $15.5 billion, it is the third-largest destination for Indian shipments.
• At the same time, India only accounts for a little over two per cent of China’s total exports, according to the Federation of Indian Export Organisation (FIEO).

How could a blanket ban on Chinese imports hit India’s exports?

• Across sectors from pharmaceuticals to telecommunications and automobiles, industry associations have been speaking up against a complete boycott of Chinese imports.
• A “blanket ban” may not be feasible because of India’s dependence on the country for crucial raw materials.
• Banning the imports of raw materials from China without which products over here cannot be manufactured will make things difficult.
• If China takes any retaliatory measures, it would impact India more negatively.

Most crucial: The Pharma sector could be worst hit

• For instance, of the nearly $3.6 billion worth of ingredients that Indian drug-makers import to manufacture several essential medicines, China catered to around 68 per cent.
• India is considered one of the largest pharma industries in the world and accounts for a considerable portion of imports of finished formulations by other large economies like the US.
• While pharma consignments from China have unofficially been stopped at ports in India, and are expected to be cleared after thorough checks,
• A ban could create shortages of medicines both for India’s domestic and export markets.

Are there any alternatives in this situation?

• The decision to boycott non-essential products made in China can be left to the individuals.
• However, trade-related measures like raising duties on cheaper raw materials imported from China would be better than an outright embargo.
• This would still allow access to crucial ingredients in the short-term while India looks to build self-reliance or maybe switch to alternate trade partners.
• It would be better to maybe raise duties on cheaper raw materials instead of going in for a blanket ban.

Alternatives to Chinese imports

• Countries like the US, Vietnam, Japan, Mexico and certain European countries could be tapped as alternate import sources for some critical electronic, vehicular and pharmaceutical components as well.
• It is likely that the costs of the raw materials from these alternate sources will be higher and may get passed on to consumers if the manufacturers cannot absorb them.
• India will need to look into the totality of its trade with China and Hong Kong and implement certain short- to long-term plans to reduce its dependence on them, according to FIEO.

Way forward

• The government’s “Atmanirbhar” focus is expected to help ministries handhold industries where self-reliance needs to be built.
• Some measures, like the decision to push bulk drug parks in India, have to be executed.
• While an increase in tariff can be one way to achieve import substitution, the more effective strategy would be to provide an ecosystem that addresses the cost disability of Indian manufacturing leading to such imports.

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