Indian Government to Mandate USB Type-C Charging Ports for All Devices by 2025

The Indian government is reportedly planning to implement a mandate requiring all smartphones and tablets to use USB Type-C charging ports by June 2025. This move, inspired by a similar directive from the European Union, aims to reduce e-waste by allowing users to charge multiple devices with a single type of cable.

According to sources cited by Livemint, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is expected to instruct device manufacturers to adopt a standardized charging connector. This requirement will extend to laptops starting in 2026. The proposed mandate will cover smartphones, tablets, and laptops, but it will not apply to wearable devices like smartwatches or basic feature phones.

The decision to standardize USB Type-C ports is intended to simplify charging solutions for consumers and decrease the environmental impact caused by the proliferation of different types of charging cables. By ensuring that most electronic devices use the same type of charging port, the initiative hopes to reduce e-waste generated by discarded or obsolete chargers significantly.

This initiative follows the European Union's 2022 directive, which mandated USB Type-C as the standard charging port for various electronic devices, including smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, handheld video game consoles, and portable speakers. The EU's mandate, which comes into effect at the end of this year, has already influenced significant companies like Apple to transition from their proprietary lightning port to USB Type-C, starting with the iPhone 15 series in 2023.

In India, the move towards a standardized charging port has been in discussion for some time. In November 2022, Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh announced a broad consensus among industry stakeholders on adopting USB Type-C as the standard charging method for electronic devices. Although no specific timeline was provided at that meeting, recent reports suggest that India is now poised to formalize this requirement.

MeitY is expected to provide an additional six-month period for all stakeholders to ensure compliance with the new regulations. This extension will allow manufacturers sufficient time to adapt their products to the latest standards.

By mandating USB Type-C ports for electronic devices, the Indian government aims to streamline charging solutions for consumers and address environmental concerns associated with electronic waste. This initiative marks a significant step towards sustainability and standardization in the tech industry.