Archive · 12 Sep 2025
Mumbai Customs Disputes Reliance Import Duties on Cisco Phones
The Mumbai Customs and Reliance are in a tax dispute over Cisco phones.
Customs wants to tax them as video conferencing equipment, which costs more.
Reliance says they are simple phones.
The issue involves phones imported between 2018 and 2020.
A tribunal sided with Reliance, but now the Customs has taken the case to the Supreme Court.
This shows how complicated India's tax rules can be, leading to many arguments over what things should be taxed and how much.
Mumbai Customs is challenging Reliance over import duties on Cisco UC/IP phones.
The dispute concerns the classification of the phones under India’s Customs Tariff Act.
Customs argues for higher duties, classifying the phones as video conferencing equipment.
Reliance contends the phones are ordinary push-button telephones, subject to lower duties.
The Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (Cestat) sided with Reliance, and now the case is in the Supreme Court.
- Who
- Mumbai Customs and Reliance Group companies
- What
- Dispute over import duty classification of Cisco IP phones
- When
- Dispute dates back to 2018, Supreme Court hearing in September
- Where
- India (Mumbai Customs)
- Why
- To determine the correct import duty rates for Cisco IP phones
- Parties Involved
- Mumbai Customs, Reliance Group Companies
- Dispute
- Import duty classification of Cisco UC/IP phones
- Customs' Argument
- Phones are video conferencing equipment (higher duty)
- Reliance's Argument
- Phones are ordinary push-button telephones (lower duty)
- Tribunal Ruling
- Favored Reliance, quashing higher duty demands
- Supreme Court Status
- Mumbai Customs has approached the Supreme Court