MAM
Regulation of GST on consumer durables – a need of the hour
The implementation of the Goods and Services Tax by the Indian government has been one of the most transformational legislations in the history of the country’s economy. Publicised as the “one nation one tax”, it completely replaced the multi-tax structure previously prevalent in India, helping enhance transparency and streamline the taxing system, significantly. In addition, it also helped bring about improved free flow of credits, a decrease in the prices of goods and services, and facilitate barrier-free movement of goods across the country. However, for the consumer durable industry, especially consumer electronics, several challenges still remain, which the GST council must address at the earliest.
During the initial stages of implementation, almost all major consumer electronics were categorised under the 28 per cent GST rate, including ACs, refrigerators, TVs, and washing machines, to name a few. However, industry representation and growing consumption patterns soon led to the GST Council rationalising the tax rate on several consumer electronics products, including refrigerators and washing machines. Eventually, the number of goods categorised under the 28 per cent tax bracket fell from over 200 products to close to only 35 goods.
Following the initial announcement, the rates were further revised by the Council, and currently, TV sets with a screen size of over 32 inches are subject to 28 per cent GST, while those with a screen size of 32 inches and below, are subject to 18 per cent GST.
Before the announcement of the Union Budget 2019-20, the industry had been hopeful that the GST rate on appliances like large-screen televisions, air-conditioners, and refrigerators, would be lowered to 12 per cent by the Government. However, this urgent need still remains to be addressed, especially in light of the fact that these products are today considered household necessities, and no longer fall under the category of luxury goods.
There is, thus, an alarming need for demand in the consumer appliances sector to be enhanced significantly, and the lowering of taxes will play a key role in the same, as manufacturers would be able to pass on the benefits to the buyers. Hence, the lowering of GST rates for TVs above 32 inches, to 18 per cent, will not only help boost the industry, but also benefit the end-consumers, as well.
Furthermore, the lowering of GST rates and exemption of import duty on open cell television panels can also help boost sales. According to the Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA), manufacturers are stating that the fall in demand is because of low consumer sentiments, since the sales of other home appliances like washing machines and refrigerators have also experienced flat growth in the month of July.
The industry expects significant upkeep during the ongoing festive season sales, which started on August 15, but continues to be wary of the impact of the adverse situations in the country, especially like the floods, on the industry. In adherence to the global standards, the Indian GST Council should now look at further rationalising the rate of tax on such products, to help boost their consumption and penetration in the Indian market.
(The author is Director, Westway Electronics. The views expressed are his own and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them.)
Digital
Content India 2026 opens with a copro pitch, a spice evangelist and a £10,000 prize for Indian storytelling
Dish TV and C21Media’s three-day summit puts seven ambitious projects before an international jury, and two walk away with serious development money
MUMBAI: India’s content industry gathered in Mumbai this March for Content India 2026, a three-day summit organised by Dish TV in partnership with C21Media, and it wasted no time making a statement. The event opened with a Copro Pitch that put seven scripted and unscripted television concepts before an international panel of judges, and by the end of it, two projects had walked away with £10,000 each in marketing prize money from C21Media to support development and international promotion.
The jury, comprising Frank Spotnitz, Fiona Campbell, Rashmi Bajpai, Bal Samra and Rachel Glaister, evaluated a shortlist that ranged from a dark Mumbai comedy-drama about mental health (Dirty Minds, created by Sundar Aaron) to a Delhi coming-of-age mystery (Djinn Patrol, by Neha Sharma and Kilian Irwin), a techno-thriller about a teenage gaming prodigy (Kanpur X Satori, by Suchita Bhatia), an investigative crime drama blending mythology and modern thriller (The Age of Kali, by Shivani Bhatija), a documentary on India’s spice heritage (The Masala Quest, hosted by Sarina Kamini), a documentary on competitive gaming (Respawn: India’s Esports Revolution, by George Mangala Thomas and Sangram Mawari), and a reality-horror competition merging gaming and immersive fear (Scary Goose, by Samar Iqbal).
The session was hosted by Mayank Shekhar.
The two winners were Djinn Patrol, backed by Miura Kite, formerly of Participant Media and known for Chinatown and Keep Sweet: Pray & Obey, with Jaya Entertainment, producers of Real Kashmir Football Club, also attached; and The Masala Quest, created and hosted by Sarina Kamini, an Indian-Australian cook, author and self-described “spice evangelist.”
The summit also unveiled the Content India Trends Report, whose findings made for bracing reading. Daoud Jackson, senior analyst at OMDIA, set the tone: “By 2030, online video in India will nearly double the revenue of traditional TV, becoming the main driver of growth.” He noted that in 2025, India produced a quarter of all YouTube videos globally, overtaking the United States, while Indians collectively spend 117 years daily on YouTube and 72 years on Instagram. Traditional subscription TV is declining as free TV and connected TV gain ground, forcing broadcasters to innovate. “AI-generated content is just 2 per cent of engagement,” Jackson added, “highlighting the dominance of high-quality human content. The key for Indian media companies is scaling while monetising effectively from day one.”
Hannah Walsh, principal analyst at Ampere Analysis, added hard numbers to the picture. India produced over 24,000 titles in January 2026 alone, with 19,000 available internationally. The country now accounts for 12 per cent of Asia-Pacific content spend, up from 8 per cent in 2021, outpacing both Japan and China. Key exporters include JioStar, Zee Entertainment, Sony India, Amazon and Netflix, delivering over 7,500 Indian-produced titles abroad each year. The top importing markets are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, the United States and the Philippines. Scripted content dominates globally at 88 per cent, with crime dramas and children’s and family titles performing particularly strongly.
Manoj Dobhal, chief executive and executive director of Dish TV India, framed the summit’s ambition squarely. “Stories don’t need translation. They need a platform, discovery, and reach, local or global,” he said. “India produces more movies than any country, our streaming platforms compete globally, and our tech and creators win international awards. Yet fragmentation slows growth. Producers, platforms, and tech move in different lanes. We need shared spaces, collaboration, and an ecosystem where ideas, technology, and people meet. That is why we built Content India.”
The data, the pitches and the prize money all pointed to the same conclusion: India is not waiting for the world to discover its stories. It is building the infrastructure to sell them.
