Are Garmin devices illegal in India? No, they are not, but operating some of these devices without permission may land you in trouble. From cycling to hiking, Garmin is a popular name among athletes looking for a reliable device to track their sports activities. However, using specific Garmin devices landed two foreigners in jail.
A Canadian and a Scottish national were detained at Indian airports within a month in two separate incidents for carrying a Garmin device. The Scottish hiker shared her ordeal in an Instagram story, claiming she was detained at Delhi Airport for carrying a Garmin inReach.
The Scottish hiker, with the Instagram handle ‘Hiker Heather,’ warned people not to travel to India with a Garmin inReach or any other satellite communicator because they are illegal.
“I was eventually told that the Garmin was illegal here and that they were handing me over to the Police, I called the Embassy whilst waiting for the Police and I await their further guidance, however, they are not able to intervene with legal proceedings,” the hiker shared in the post on Instagram.
No, Garmin devices without satellite communication technologies can be used in India.
Garmin inReach and Garmin Edge 540 GPS devices are not allowed in India without authorisation. Earlier, a few foreign nationals were detained in India for carrying a Garmin Edge 540, a GPS-enabled cycle/bike computer that tracks speed, distance, and other metrics.
Certain Garmin devices come with in-built satellite communication technologies, which allow 100 per cent global coverage. Many of the sports devices, especially inReach, operate on the Iridium satellite network.
According to the Garmin website, prior permission or acquiring a Registration Code from the government is mandatory in certain countries for the authorised use or activation of satellite communication. The website also added that such devices are banned in some countries.
India is also included in the list of countries where the use of these devices is regulated. Hence, those who plan to buy a Garmin device for their workouts or sports must ensure that it doesn't operate on satellite communication technologies.
The use of a device with a built-in satellite transmitter is found to violate the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1933. According to Section 4 of the Act, “No person shall possess wireless telegraphy apparatus except under and in accordance with a licence issued under this Act.”
A statement by the Embassy of India in The Hague, the Netherlands, read: “Prohibition on use of satellite phones in India Travellers to India are advised that use/carrying of satellite phone by foreign nationals (irrespective of category of passport) without prior approval is illegal/ unauthorized. Satellite phone of travellers who carry them without permission will be seized and the holder prosecuted under Indian laws. Travellers are, therefore, advised not to carry satellite phones to India without prior permission.”
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