India should become ‘Repair Factory’ of the world: Consumer Affairs Secretary

New Delhi: In a bid to address the current challenges in the repair and reuse of mobile and electronic products, the government on Thursday said India should become the ‘Repair Factory of the World’, enhancing consumer experiences in reusing the products they own.

Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, raised issues like excessively high costs of repairs which often lead to consumer dissatisfaction and delay repair.

“This necessitates the need for repairability index, employment generation through ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, and making India a global repair hub along with the leader of the South,” Khare said during a national workshop on the ‘Right to Repair Framework for the Mobile and Electronic Sectors’ in the national capital.

Khare also discussed about withholding of essential information regarding repair Dos and Don’t, repair manual/videos and lack of availability of spare parts by manufacturers which forces consumers towards the risks associated with counterfeit parts from grey markets.

The meeting aimed at establishing a consensus among industry stakeholders on key parameters for accessing and evaluating repairability index, promoting longevity in product design, and democratising repair information to boost consumer experiences.

Bharat Khera, Additional Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs, emphasised the critical need for transparent and affordable repair solutions, increased consumer awareness and support for local repairers.

He highlighted the importance of developing a robust ‘Right to Repair’ framework to empower consumers and promote sustainable practices within the tech industry.

The workshop's primary goal was to address the current challenges in the repair and reuse of mobile and electronic products.

The objective was to ensure that the product is not designed to fail but designed to last long so that consumers are not compelled to purchase new products due to a lack of repair options or exorbitant repair costs.

The Department has already launched the ‘Right to Repair Portal India’ which allows access to product manuals/repair DIY videos (by linking the websites and YouTube channels of the companies), and address the concern on the price and warranty of spare parts, among others.

To date, more than 63 companies onboarded the portal, including 23 from mobile and electronics sector.