India in talks with tech industry about common charging port

The Indian government is in talks with the tech industry to find out how it feels about switching to a common charging port on mobile electronic devices. The Indian government is considering the implementation of two charging standards.

“No binding measures have yet been imposed,” said Indian Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh according to Livemint. “With these conversations, we just want to find out how a common charger can be implemented in India and what the concerns are of companies,” it said. Professional and industry associations will attend the talks, as well as delegates from some Indian universities.

The Indian Secretary of State is also said to have appointed some experts. They must investigate the support for the potential measure among users and manufacturers. The impact on the environment must also be mapped out. The experts’ investigations should be completed in two months.

Secretary of State Rohit Kumar Singh also reportedly referred to the upcoming European Union law. This obliges manufacturers to equip new devices that will be sold in the EU with a USB-C port from the autumn of 2024. With this measure, the EU wants all mobile devices to be charged with the same charger. This should lead to less e-waste and make it easier for consumers to charge their devices without the need for different chargers.

The upcoming EU rules only apply to small and medium-sized portable electronic devices for now. It is not clear whether the Indian government wants to move in the same direction. According to the Deccan Herald newspaper, the Indian government is currently considering two possible charging standards. One of those standards would be the USB-C standard.