SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Replacing devices, like mobile phones, is now often easier than repairing them due to built-in obsolescence. Some Indians are fighting for the right to repair.

Millions of electronic devices are discarded after just a few years, but in India, many get a second life. In Delhi’s Nehru Place, one of Asia’s biggest tech markets, technicians repair phones and laptops cheaply, often working long hours in cramped and unhealthy conditions. Their work is becoming harder as manufacturers increasingly make devices difficult to repair, with sealed batteries, unavailable spare parts and limited software updates. At the same time, India's growing smartphone market is driving a surge in e-waste, which rose 73% between 2020 and 2024. Repair shops, refurbishers and initiatives like Bengaluru's Repair Cafe Collective are helping extend product lifespans. While France and the EU have introduced measures against planned obsolescence, India is still developing its own repairability rules.