Techocalypse

The technology world has come crashing down after being severely hit by COVID-19, rupee depreciation and, now a handsome 6 per cent GST hike on smartphones in India. Brace yourself for price hike, job cuts and shortages this new quarter.

- Haider Ali Khan

The GST hike to 18 per cent from previous 12 per cent on smartphones could not have come at much worse time when the half of world’s population is battling with deadly Coronavirus outbreak claiming thousands of lives thus affecting the entire supply chain ecosystem. India too is now battling this pandemic. Going opposite, government of India decided to levy 6 per cent more GST on smartphones hitting the back of the economy which is already in bad phase at the moment. That means, we have to pay Rs 18 more per hundred rupees which earlier stood at Rs 12 only, and that is a handsome increase especially when the entire country is under lockdown. Now for every Rs 100 purchase we have to shell out Rs 180 as GST, and if you’re planning to buy a smartphone that costs Rs 10,000 or more you have to give Rs 1,800 as GST starting 1st April 2020.

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