India won't impose restrictions on laptop imports - official

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India is rolling back its earlier plan to impose restrictions on laptop imports, months after abruptly announcing such plans which came under criticism from industry and Washington.

"India will not impose restrictions on laptop imports," Trade Secretary Sunil Barthwal told a press conference on Friday.

He said the government "only wants importers to be on close watch."

The import licensing regime, announced on Aug. 3, aimed to "ensure trusted hardware and systems" enter India, but it was delayed by three months after objections from industry and criticism by Washington. It would affect companies like Dell, HP, Apple, Samsung and Lenovo.

The government is holding consultations with the industry and a new order on laptop imports will be announced by the end of October, Directorate General of Foreign Trade Santosh Kumar Sarangi said.

The officials did not disclose details about the new plans.

(Reporting by Sarita Chaganti Singh and Nikunj Ohri; editing by David Evans and Susan Fenton)