MOSCOW. Feb 10 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia plans to raise import duties by around 25% on navigators solely using the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS), the general director of federal network operator Navigation Information Systems, Alexander Gurko, said on Tuesday in Moscow.
Gurko told Interfax-AVN that the purpose of the planned measure was to support Russian manufacturers and stimulate foreign companies to use navigation technology based on the Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS).
He said the duties on navigation systems that are operated through both GPS and GLONASS would remain unchanged.
"It is planned to categorize equipment and gradually increase duties for the kinds of equipment that we can substitute for imports," the general director said.
Earlier, the Federal Space Agency had said the duties might be raised to 25% of the cost of the equipment to be imported.
"They will probably stay within these limits," Gurko confirmed.
"The duties will go up in any case, that's definite. We are currently helping the Ministry of Industry and Trade to plan the raise in duties so that import replacements does happen after all. Not all types of devices that are based on Russian technology can replace imports," Gurko said.
Duties on smart phones that are operated through GPS and other types of devices that Russia does not produce would stay unchanged.
"Maybe they will end up on the list in a few years' time, when domestic technologies are ready," Gurko said.