Can i import and sell branded laptops in India? What duties and taxes?

We would need more details from you to provide a detailed legal advice on the import of laptops and mobile phones. What do you mean when you say 'branded items cannot be sold here' - are these brands not being sold here in India already? If the brand is already present in India, why would you want to import these goods and sell them here as nowadays most of the laptop and mobile brands work on global pricing. Even if there is a difference in the pricing, you would end up paying import duty that would not make it very profitable to sell these products in India.

On the other hand, if the brand does not exist in India, you may want to consider options of formally and officially launching the brand in India and establishing a distribution network for the same.

With respect to the applicable import duties and taxes, you may refer to the below information:

On Personal Computers, it is Countervailing Duties (CVD): 12% + Central Excise Edu Cess: 3% + Custom Education Cess: 3% + Special CVD: 4%

On Cellular Telephone: Basic Duty: 7.50% + CVD: 16.32% + Central Excise Edu Cess: 3% + Custom Education Cess: 3% + Special CVD: 4%

For further and more precise information, kindly contact the Department of Commerce, Udyog Bhawan, New Delhi.