DGFT Revises PSIC Issuance Timeline and Grants One-Time Relaxation for Backlog Certificates

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Department of Commerce, has announced important changes to the process for issuance of Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificates (PSICs).

Through Trade Notice No. 28/2026-27 dated September 16, 2026, DGFT has revised the timeline for generation and issuance of PSICs and provided a one-time seven-day transitional relaxation to recognised Pre-Shipment Inspection Agencies (PSIAs) for clearing pending or backlog certificates relating to inspections conducted before August 25, 2026.

The latest trade notice is intended to facilitate the smooth implementation of the revised PSIA/PSIC module and address difficulties arising from system restrictions introduced under an earlier DGFT Trade Notice.

Background: Earlier changes to the PSIA/PSIC process

DGFT had issued Trade Notice No. 22/2026-27 dated August 25, 2026, announcing enhancements to the Pre-Shipment Inspection Agency and Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate process.

The changes introduced through that notice included tighter system-based controls concerning the generation and issuance of PSICs. Following implementation of those changes, certain certificates relating to inspections carried out before August 25, 2026 could not be issued because of system restrictions.

Recognising the transitional difficulties faced by recognised PSIAs, DGFT has now issued Trade Notice No. 28/2026-27.

The latest notice provides two principal measures:

1. A one-time seven-day relaxation for clearing eligible backlog PSICs.

2. A revised and clearly specified two-day timeline for issuing PSICs after inspection.

One-time relaxation for backlog PSICs

The most immediate relief provided by the new trade notice concerns PSICs that remain pending because of the transition to the revised system.

DGFT has granted a one-time relaxation of seven days from September 16, 2026, the date of issuance of Trade Notice No. 28/2026-27.

The relaxation is available to recognised PSIAs for clearing backlog PSICs relating to inspections conducted prior to August 25, 2026, where the certificates could not be issued because of system restrictions introduced following Trade Notice No. 22/2026-27.

This is specifically described as a one-time transitional arrangement.

The measure therefore does not create a continuing extension for future PSICs. Rather, it addresses certificates that were already affected by the transition to the revised PSIA/PSIC module.

For eligible backlog cases, recognised PSIAs have seven days from the issuance of the September 16 trade notice to complete the necessary issuance process.

Revised two-day timeline for PSIC issuance

The second major change relates to the timeline applicable to PSIC issuance going forward.

DGFT has substituted paragraph 2(ii) of Trade Notice No. 22/2026-27 with a new provision.

Under the revised requirement:

The PSIC shall be generated and issued within two days from the date of inspection.

This establishes a specific two-day window for generation and issuance of the certificate.

The change is significant because the system is also being configured to enforce the prescribed timeline.

According to the trade notice, the system will permit generation and issuance of a PSIC only within the prescribed timeline.

Therefore, the timeline is not merely an administrative recommendation. It is linked to the functioning of the DGFT system.

Geographical location requirement for uploading PSIC

The revised provision also introduces or reiterates an important geographical-location requirement.

The notification states that:

PSIC uploading shall be done from the same geographical location/country where the inspection is carried out.

This means that the location from which the PSIC is uploaded must correspond to the geographical location or country in which the relevant inspection was conducted.

The requirement is particularly important for recognised PSIAs operating across different locations and jurisdictions. Agencies will need to ensure that their operational and system processes permit PSIC uploading from the appropriate location.

The provision is also consistent with the broader objective of strengthening the integrity and traceability of the PSIC issuance process.

What does the revised process mean for PSIAs?

For recognised Pre-Shipment Inspection Agencies, the revised framework creates a more defined operational timeline.

Once an inspection has been completed, the PSIC must be generated and issued within two days from the date of inspection.

PSIAs therefore need to ensure that their internal procedures, inspection reporting systems and certificate-generation processes are aligned with this deadline.

The system-based restriction also makes timely action particularly important. Since the system is intended to allow generation and issuance only within the prescribed timeline, delays could affect the ability to issue the certificate through the prescribed mechanism.

The requirement concerning geographical location adds another compliance consideration. PSIAs must ensure that uploading is undertaken from the same geographical location or country where the inspection took place.

Who is affected by the trade notice?

The trade notice has been addressed to three principal groups:

• All Pre-Shipment Inspection Agencies (PSIAs)
• All members of trade and industry
• All Customs Authorities

The changes therefore have implications beyond the inspection agencies themselves.

Members of trade and industry involved in imports or transactions requiring PSIC compliance will need to be aware of the revised issuance timeline and associated system requirements.

Customs authorities are also among the recipients, ensuring that the revised procedural framework is communicated to the authorities responsible for processing and examining relevant consignments.

Importance for trade and industry

A Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate can form an important part of the compliance process for transactions where pre-shipment inspection requirements apply.

Any delay in obtaining the relevant certificate can potentially affect subsequent trade and customs processes. The revised two-day timeline is therefore intended to establish a predictable timeframe for certificate issuance.

At the same time, the one-time backlog relaxation provides a practical solution to certificates that were caught during the transition between the previous and revised systems.

The two measures work together: the transitional relaxation addresses past pending cases, while the two-day rule establishes the ongoing timeline for new inspections.

How the seven-day relaxation works

The transitional relief should be understood in a limited manner.

It applies to:

• recognised PSIAs;
• PSICs relating to inspections conducted before August 25, 2026;
• certificates that could not be issued because of system restrictions introduced following the earlier Trade Notice; and
• the seven-day period beginning from the issuance of Trade Notice No. 28/2026-27 on September 16, 2026.

It is not a general extension of the PSIC issuance deadline for all inspections.

Similarly, it does not change the requirement applicable to inspections conducted after the relevant transition period. Those cases are governed by the revised two-day issuance timeline.

No other changes to the earlier trade notice

DGFT has expressly clarified that all other provisions of Trade Notice No. 22/2026-27 dated August 25, 2026 remain unchanged.

This is an important point for stakeholders.

Trade Notice No. 28/2026-27 should therefore be read as a targeted modification and transitional relaxation rather than a replacement of the entire earlier framework.

Except for the provisions specifically revised by the latest notice, stakeholders should continue to follow the requirements contained in Trade Notice No. 22/2026-27.

Compliance implications

PSIAs and affected businesses should take particular note of three requirements arising from the latest DGFT communication.

First, eligible backlog PSICs must be addressed during the one-time seven-day transitional window.

Second, for applicable inspections, the PSIC must be generated and issued within two days from the date of inspection.

Third, the PSIC uploading process must be undertaken from the same geographical location or country where the inspection was carried out.

These requirements make timely and location-compliant processing an important part of the revised PSIC workflow.

Conclusion

DGFT's Trade Notice No. 28/2026-27 dated September 16, 2026 introduces a targeted set of measures to smooth the transition to the revised PSIA/PSIC system.

The most immediate relief is a one-time seven-day relaxation for recognised PSIAs to clear eligible backlog PSICs relating to inspections conducted before August 25, 2026, where certificates could not be issued because of system restrictions.

Going forward, the revised rule establishes that a PSIC must be generated and issued within two days from the date of inspection. The system will enforce this prescribed timeline, while PSIC uploading must take place from the same geographical location or country in which the inspection was conducted.

The changes seek to balance operational flexibility during the transition with tighter and more clearly defined controls for future PSIC issuance. For PSIAs, importers, members of trade and industry, and Customs authorities, understanding these timelines and system requirements will be important for ensuring uninterrupted compliance under the revised PSIA/PSIC framework.

The trade notice has been issued with the approval of the Director General of Foreign Trade and signed by Manoj Kumar Meena, Deputy Director General of Foreign Trade, from File No. 01/02/103/AM-26/EG&TF.