The Indian government follows the European Union (EU) in its latest mandate mandating the use of USB Type-C in various electronic devices to reduce e-waste. It has now asked manufacturers to switch to USB-C as the default charging port for all electronic devices in the country by March 2025.
This move will greatly affect Apple, which uses Lightning cables to charge most of its devices, including iPhones. However, it appears that not all electronic devices will feature the standard. According to a report by Menta, Phones, wearables and hearing aids with a USB-C port will not be required Because that will make the devices more expensive.
India is a big market for high-end phones and other devices that don’t use USB-C charging ports, according to a senior Indian government official quoted by Mint. They say this is different compared to the situation in Europe, where many people use smartphones. As such, the Government of India has set up another committee to discuss common cargo for wearables and hearing aids.
Apart from smartphones, laptops will also require USB-C charging ports. However, unlike smartphone makers, laptop makers will have until 2026 to comply, similar to the EU’s timeline.