Import of Chinese phones banned

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Radhika Mehta

18 June, 2009

In a notification issued on Wednesday, Director General of Foreign Trade has notified the immediate ban on import of Chinese mobile handsets without IMEI number or with all-zero IMEI numbers. The government has also banned Chinese toys

INDIAN GOVERNMENT of Wednesday (June 17), banned import of Chinese handsets without unique identification number, for national security reasons. Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) notified, “Import of mobile handsets without International Mobile Equipment Identify (IMEI) number or with all-zero IMEI is prohibited with immediate effect.”

IMEI is a 15-digit code, which appears on the operator’s network whenever a call is made. It helps authorities trace the handset that has been used to make a call. The number is also useful in tracking the sale of the phone and phone even without SIM card, if its is lost.

Earlier, the Department of Telecom (DoT) had directed telephone service providers across India to disconnect services to SIM cards in Chinese handsets, as calls made from these phones are untraceable and create a lot of trouble for investigating officers.

The department then commented that phones without the proper IMEI code pose serious security threats for the nation.

DGFT has also extended the ban of Chinese dairy products for another six months, which was due for expiry on June 24. Indian government has also banned import of toys that do not adhere to international safety standards for all the countries, from Wednesday onwards.

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