KOLKATA: An industry body comprising leading smartphone makers such as Samsung LG and Intex has asked the government to reduce import duties levied in this year’s Budget on accessories claiming it places companies with local manufacturing facilities at a disadvantage vis-à-vis Apple and others which import and sell handsets and accessories in ready-to-sell packages.“There is an anomaly in duties which the government should look into, as it will benefit only a few brands like Apple which are currently importing finished goods and have no manufacturing investment in India as compared to all the other smartphone makers who are investing in India,” said Ravinder Zutshi of CEAMA.Zutshi is the chairman of the mobile and communications council of the Consumer Electronics & Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA).This year’s Budget has levied 29% customs duty on batteries, chargers, adapters, speakers and wired headsets that are imported by brands which manufacture in India. But importers of completely built units have to pay only 12.5% on the same inputs since these accessories are packaged inside the box. Accessories account for up to 40% of the cost of mobile manufacturing.As a result, the net benefit which the handset manufacturers were enjoying in India compared with importers such as Apple has contracted from 12-13% to just 5%. Market leader Samsung currently manufactures its entire portfolio in India while others like Micromax and LG too have begun local production. All of them, unlike Apple, import accessories.Two senior industry executives said some leading brands have also directly reached out to the government against Apple. However, all such representations are verbal and written communication is limited to a plea for correction of the duty anomaly.Several handset makers have already opposed Apple’s plan to sell refurbished or pre-owned phones in India, and industry observers see these moves as the beginning of a united alliance against the iconic smartphone maker. A Samsung spokesperson said the company had not lobbied against Apple with the government.“This information is baseless and incorrect,” said the spokesperson. Apple currently has an 11% value share of the Indian smartphone segment, but in volume terms it accounts for just 2%.Apple executives in the past few quarters have made it clear that India has emerged as a high-priority market for the company and CEO Tim Cook has recently said it is investing in the country for the long term.According to Counterpoint Research, an agency that tracks handset sales, Samsung leads the Indian smartphone market with 36% value share, followed by Micromax at 12% and Apple at 11%.By volume, Samsung leads with 26% share, followed by Micromax at 16% and Intex at 10%.