INDIA has reconsidered its sudden plan to curb laptop and tablet imports without a licence, giving companies three months to secure needed permits, reports Bloomberg.

The move came after tech giants Apple, Samsung Electronics and HP froze new device imports to the South Asian country following an abrupt order last week.

India's trade regulator surprised the world's big PC makers when it made licences mandatory for import of electronics from small tablets to all-in-one PCs.

The sudden licensing imposition caught the industry off guard, forcing it to begin emergency engagements with New Delhi about how to quickly obtain licences at a period of heightened consumer interest with India's Diwali shopping season and back-to-school period approaching.

But then India's Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued a new order saying companies can import electronics goods such as laptops, tablets and other personal computers without a licence until October 31.

The new curbs, which require a licence to import these devices, will be effective November 1, the DGFT said in a notification.

New Delhi is simplifying the process of applying for licences, which can be approved in as little as a day, a senior government told reporters.

The requirement creates additional compliance headaches for manufacturers in a market that's still largely reliant on overseas shipments.

It's also part of a wider state push to boost local production and create a world-class tech manufacturing industry in India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is seeking applications for a INR170 billion (US$2.1 billion) financial incentive plan to draw makers of laptops, tablets and other hardware to the world's most populous nation as companies look to diversify supply chains beyond China.