The government has made changes to GST rates, which will affect the prices of household and electronic products. The new rates will be effective from September 22, but there will be no immediate reduction in smartphone prices. The 18 percent GST on iPhones, Samsung, and other brands of mobile phones will continue, meaning consumers will not see direct benefits.
GST: The government has recently made a significant change in GST rates, which could impact the prices of household and electronic products in India. The new rates will come into effect from September 22, 2025, allowing consumers to benefit from lower prices during the Diwali shopping season. However, with the 18 percent GST continuing on iPhones, Samsung, and other smartphones, their prices will not decrease in the immediate future. Experts suggest that while this change will affect electronics items, it is difficult to include smartphones in a lower GST slab.
Changes in Electronics Due to New GST Rates
The government has recently made a significant change in GST rates, which could impact the prices of household items and electronic goods. The new rates will be effective from September 22, allowing people to benefit from lower prices during the Diwali shopping period. However, according to experts, the impact of this change on smartphones will be limited, as other taxes and import duties are also involved.
No Relief for Smartphones
Consumers will not see any reduction in the prices of iPhones, Samsung, and other brands of smartphones for now. Earlier, smartphones attracted an 18 percent GST, and this rate remains unchanged after the new revisions. Industry sources indicate that it was already anticipated that this change would not provide direct relief on smartphones.
Why Smartphones Did Not Become Cheaper
The industry states that if a 12 percent slab had been considered, some price relief might have been possible. However, the new slab below 18 percent is only 5 percent, making it difficult to include smartphones. The India Cellular and Electronics Association had requested the government to place mobile phones in this slab, as phones have become essential tools for Digital India. Before the implementation of GST, several states had categorized smartphones as essential goods. Initially, GST on smartphones was 12 percent, which was increased to 18 percent in 2020.
