ICEA bats for lower GST on mobile phones

The India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) has urged the government to cut GST on mobile phones to 5 per cent from 18 per cent and place the proposal before the next GST Council meeting. ICEA said high handset prices continue to limit smartphone adoption, with an estimated 250 million Indians still using feature phones.

Lower taxes, it said, could improve affordability, particularly for first-time buyers and lower-income households. India is now the world’s second-largest mobile-phone manufacturer by volume, and mobile phones became the country’s largest export product in FY2025-26.