This may have worked better if the change was gradual. i.e. Start by requiring companies to make X% of the phone locally. I can't find if this is already a provision under the make in india campaign.
As usual, A half-assed sudden move like this means, People who can't afford more expensive phones will end up paying their hard money just to get garbage in return.
Reducing dependence on foreign countries is great but I just don't see how forcing people to buy local products when local products are absolute shit and not helping companies is going to take us anywhere better? I just think what is more likely to happen is that a bunch of grifters will come in, sell garbage, swipe some money and then just shut down few years later as has happened few times already in the past.
A tangent and a example, Research institutions are already suffering because government forces them to prioritize companies under made in india campaign and those companies make horrible, inaccurate products which significantly affects research.
https://theprint.in/science/substan...ian-credo-has-scientists-exasperated/1048832/
Part of it is just the nascent stage of this industry and you obviously can not expect them to make world class products just yet but the if the government is forcing people to buy local products, They should also step in and punish companies when they sell garbage that doesn't meet the specification.
Back to the original point, If they really are going to force people to buy cheaper phones from local companies, Will they also ensure that these local companies are developing significant local capacity(and hopefully, investing in R&D for the long term)? Also, Since this field is just littered with patents owned by foreign companies, How does a new company establish itself without paying good bit money just to get permission to use the patents?
Medicine industry flourished because they relaxed these patents despite the backlash from WTO and it's member countries, Will they do something like this now to boost local companies?
So far, It just looks like they are doing this so their friends and some cheaters can take money from people, sell garbage and shut down shop a few years later when either the technology moves on or the government realizes that this is not going to work and just lifts this restriction, Will have to wait and see and how this plays out. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯