Sun Aug 03 19:27:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text and a rewrite as a news article:
**Summary:**
India is taking steps to promote electronics repair through initiatives like the Repairability Index and e-waste policies. However, the article argues that repair should be viewed not just as a consumer right, but also as a valuable form of knowledge and a critical component of India’s technological resilience. The article highlights the importance of informal repairers and their tacit knowledge, which is often overlooked in digital and policy frameworks. It calls for policies that support this ecosystem, recognize the value of repair work, and integrate repairability into product design and AI systems. The piece also suggests how different ministries and initiatives can contribute to a repair-ready technological future.
**News Article:**
**India’s Right to Repair Movement Must Value Tacit Knowledge of Informal Repairers**
**New Delhi, August 4, 2025** – As India advances its “Right to Repair” framework, experts are urging the government to recognize and support the critical role of informal repairers and the vast reservoir of tacit knowledge they possess. The call comes amidst growing concerns that current policies, while promoting recycling and formal skills training, are overlooking the unique skills and contributions of these essential workers.
In May, the government accepted a report proposing a Repairability Index for electronics, signaling a commitment to sustainable consumption. However, critics argue that this is only the first step. “Repair is not just a service, it’s a form of knowledge,” states Kinnari Gatare, a researcher in Human Computer Interaction at IIT Madras. “We must treat it as a cultural and intellectual resource.”
India’s informal repair sector, comprised of technicians and fixers across the country, keeps countless devices in use long beyond their planned obsolescence. They rely on observation, improvisation, and years of hands-on experience – a form of knowledge often difficult to codify. This tacit knowledge is crucial for India’s material resilience and circular economy.
The article highlights the risk of overlooking repair work as policies focus on formal recycling and standardized training programs. As product designs become less repairable and consumer habits shift toward disposability, informal repairers are increasingly marginalized. According to a 2023 iFixit global report, only 23% of smartphones sold in Asia are easily repairable due to design constraints.
The article proposes coordinated institutional action, including embedding repairability criteria into AI and procurement policies by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, expanding the Right to Repair framework by the Department of Consumer Affairs, and formally recognizing informal repairers through platforms like e-Shram.
Experts emphasize that supporting this ecosystem is not just about intellectual property or technical efficiency, but about valuing the essential labor that sustains our digital and material lives. They urge policymakers and technologists to recognize the importance of “unmaking” – the process of disassembling and repairing devices – and to design products with repairability in mind. By recognizing these repairers as stewards of sustainability, India can reshape how we think about environmental and digital innovation alike and build a more repair-ready technological future.
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