India to adopt USB-C type as common charging port for all smart devices

India has standardized USB-C type as common charging port for all type of smart devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops, other such gadgets.

Rohit Kumar Singh, consumer affairs secretary, said that the decision was taken after stakeholder reached a consensus at a meeting of an inter-ministerial task force.

“During the meeting, a broad consensus emerged among stakeholders on adoption of USB Type-C as a charging port for electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops. Further, it was deliberated that a different charging port may be adopted for feature phones,” Singh added

The government held wide-ranging consultations to standardize charging ports for all compatible smart devices.

However, no decision has been made on chargers for low-cost feature phones yet.

This will save a lot of trouble for consumer as they no longer need to purchase a different charger every time they purchase a new device.

Government also aims to reduce massive amounts of e-waste with this move. According to reports, India estimated to have produced 5 million tonnes of e-waste. With this number, India comes third in countries generating e- waste worldwide, only behind China and the US, according to an ASSOCHAM-EY report, Electronic Waste Management in India.

Many advanced countries are also moving toward standard charging devices and ports. On 7 June, the EU passed provisional legislation standardizing USB-C port for wired charging for all smartphones, including Apple’s iPhone by mid-2024.

A key concern for India is that once the EU makes the shift, obsolete phones and equipment could be dumped here, a second official said.

The meeting was attended by representatives of Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur, Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Technology, Confederation of Indian Industry, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and the ministry of environment, forest and climate change.

The Consumer Affairs Department has also decided to form a sub-group to examine the feasibility of uniform charging port for wearables.

The uniformity in charging port is a step towards LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) mission launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP-26. The LiFE mission calls for ‘mindful and deliberate utilisation’ by people worldwide instead of ‘mindful and wasteful consumption’.