India is following Europe in making this big change next year as it looks to reduce e-waste by offering same charging standard for all mobile devices.
After the European Union changed the game, the Indian government is ready to follow suit and finalise the move to standardise USB C as the go-to charging port for mobile devices next year. According to new reports, the government has even set a deadline for this change which will force the rule on all the manufacturers in the country and mandate the use of the latest charging tech as the default option.
The report from Livemint this week has quoted multiple sources, who claim the deadline for this change has been revised from March 2025 to June 2025. Like the EU ruling, India also wants USB C to become the standard charging port for mobile devices and also the cables that are used to charge smartphones and tablets. The same report hints at laptops becoming next on the hit list for USB C charging that will come into effect from the end of 2026. As you would expect the ruling is going to exempt categories like wearables and hearables (wireless audio gear) for the time being.
These changes come as the country looks to reduce the e-waste situation which has become a global issue and a stringent order is required to curtail its spread. The good news is that most smartphone brands, including Apple, have already adopted USB C as the charging standard for their devices, so the transition is unlikely to pose a challenge for the companies.
Having said that, we are hoping that the feature phone segment gets a leeway from this ruling as a possible increase in the price of the low-cost phones for millions could affect their livelihood and make them buy expensive phones that are 4G enabled.
Companies are investing in sustainable materials to make their devices but one cannot deny that the after-usage service of phones is lacking. Having a unified charging standard will mean that people can use the same charger to charge all their phones, including iPhones.