The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has released a list of more than 500 ‘Made in China’ products to be boycotted after border tensions between India and China escalated on June 16.
Products on the list include toys, fabrics, textiles, apparel, everyday items, kitchen items, furniture, hardware, footwear, handbags, luggage, electronics, cosmetics and gift items, electronics, watches, gems and jewellery, stationery, paper, household items, health products, auto parts, etc., News-18 reported.
As per the report, the Traders’ body took cognisance of business persons’ “strong criticism” of aggression along the Ladakh border, adding that “China’s attitude is against the interests of the country (India).”
CAIT has thus under the campaign ‘Indian Goods – Our Pride’ released a list covering more than 500 items to be boycotted from China, and instead Indian goods be used, it added.
In phase 1, the body has set a target to meet a shortfall of $13 billion (Rs 1 lakh crore approx.) in imports from China by December 2021.
Presently, annual imports from China amount to Rs 5.25 lakh crore ($70 billion), the body said. The first phase has focused on products that can be made in India, but price has been the deciding factor when importing.
CAIT National President BC Bhartia and National General Secretary Praveen Khandelwal told the publication: “There is no need for special technology to manufacture these items. These goods can be easily manufactured in India and can replace Chinese imports. This will reduce India’s dependence on China for these goods.”
Bhartia and Khandelwal further clarified that goods that require particular technology are not included in the list “at the moment”.
“Currently, such items are kept out of the purview of boycott because, until the alternative of this type of technology is developed in India or is not manufactured by any friendly nation of India, there is no other way,” they noted.
The body is also likely to raise the matter with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, for government support and assistance to small scale industries, entrepreneurs and startups so that domestic manufacture picks up, it added.
Source:- moneycontrol.com