Advance licence transferability allowed despite expired validity where export obligations were completed, subject to required DEEC logging and submission.
Advance licences under Exim Policy 1992-97 whose export obligations were completed by the cutoff date but lacked endorsement of transferability solely due to DEEC Book logging and procedural delays are eligible for transferability endorsement even if licence validity has expired, provided exporters complete logging and submit requests to the Licensing Authority within the prescribed filing period; Licensing Authorities must complete endorsement formalities by the prescribed completion deadline under the Handbook of Procedure.

DEPB scheme amendments: revised export credit rates and updated product descriptions plus inclusion of two airport/ICD locations.
Amendments to the DEPB schedule revise product descriptions and DEPB rates and add Bangalore and Hyderabad airports/ICDs; textile categories, selected engineering, electronics, chemical and plastic export entries are redefined or deleted and specified DEPB percentages are adjusted.

Pass Book Scheme credit eligibility tied to later of mate receipt or bill of lading, affecting credit grant and utilisation.
Exports qualify for Pass Book Scheme credit only when the later of the mate receipt or bill of lading is dated on or before the scheme cutoff; if that later document is dated after the cutoff, no credit is available. Credits may be utilised for imports within one year from the date of grant, and renewal of the Pass Book is not necessary to enter or use credits, subject to the Handbook of Procedures provision on date of shipment/dispatch.

Transferable advance licence grace period applies, so transferred licences follow handbook validity and grace period rules.
The Directorate confirms that the Handbook of Procedures general provision on the grace period for licence validity applies equally to duty free Advance Licences endorsed as transferable, meaning the transferred licence is entitled to the same post expiry grace period treatment as set out in the Handbook.

FOB value for DEPB credit: use bank certificate FOB unless customs formally reduces shipping bill FOB for stated reasons.
The FOB value for DEPB credit must be the FOB stated in the bank certificate of export for post export issuance and pre export offsetting, except where customs have reduced the Shipping Bill FOB on account of Present Market Value or other specified reasons recorded in writing; the Shipping Bill FOB is endorsed on the DEPB only for customs verification and release of Bond/Bank Guarantee.

Export ceiling for wheat products: allocation by APEDA on first-come-first-served basis with 30-day registration certificates.
A ceiling on exports of wheat products for the licensing year is allocated to APEDA, which will register contracts on a first-come, first-served basis and issue Registration cum Allocation Certificates (RCACs). RCACs have a strict limited validity with no extensions; unconfirmed allocations will be cancelled and reallocated in chronological order. APEDA must ensure the ceiling is not exceeded, report exhaustion of the ceiling to the Ministry of Commerce and the issuing office, issue a trade notice for the trade, and furnish monthly statements with exporter, quantity, FOB value and destination details.

Indigenisation requirement conditions import licences for CKD/SKD kits and ties export obligations to imports under joint ventures.
Imports of CKD/SKD kits/components SHALL be allowed only against DGFT import licences issued to joint venture automobile manufacturers that sign an MOU with the Government. The MOU mandates establishment of actual manufacturing facilities, staged indigenisation targets leading to cessation of licence requirement once the highest indigenisation level is reached, and an export obligation to neutralise CIF imports with FOB exports of cars and auto components commencing after a moratorium from the deemed production start. Compliance is monitored by annual reports and DGFT licence renewal.

Duty free licence issuance on production programme basis is additional to, not a substitute for, order-specific entitlements.
Issuance of Duty Free Licences under Paragraph 7.13 of Exim Policy 1997-2002 on a production programme or export performance basis is additional to, and not in lieu of, entitlement against specific export orders; this contrasts with the earlier policy provision which expressly operated in lieu of specific-order entitlements.

Export licence requirement for exotic birds mandates captive bred certification and CITES compliance before shipment authorization.
Export of listed exotic bird species is permitted only against an Export Licence issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, with applications filed in the prescribed form and accompanied by an export order or irrevocable letter of credit, a valid RCMC, the I.E. Code number and a certificate from the Chief Wild Life Warden confirming the birds are from Captive Bred Stock; licences may be subject to quantitative ceilings, pre shipment inspection and CITES Certificate requirements, and original wildlife warden certificates must be produced for endorsement and CITES issuance.

Pilot EDI electronic licence issuance: Advance licences under the Duty Exemption Scheme processed and tracked via EDI with electronic notifications.
Launches a Pilot EDI Project to automate issuance of Advance licences under the Duty Exemption Scheme for cases with published Standard Input Output Norms, restricted to eligible Export/Trading Houses within the specified jurisdiction. Applicants must obtain EDI registration, file applications via the prescribed EDI form, and will receive same day electronic file numbers; deficiencies and completion notices will be exchanged through EDI. Licences are collected in person at the DGFT EDI counter upon submission of the signed Appendix 11B set, fee proof, and valid identity card.

Seaport and ICD designation updated to include new authorized cargo handling points, clarifying trade facilitation rules.
Amendment to Handbook of Procedures (Vol.1) revises paragraph 7.19 to designate Kakinnada as a seaport and to add Agra, Faridabad, Jaipur, Guntur, Nagpur and Varanasi as Inland Container Depots, effectuating an official update to the list of authorized cargo handling points under the Export-Import Policy through a public notice.

Import licensing for naphtha by power producers: permits conditioned on actual user status and fuel linkage approval.
Import licensing for naphtha and fuel oil by Independent Power Producers requires a DGFT import licence and is subject to Actual User conditions, with licences granted on the basis of fuel linkage letters and a No Objection Certificate from the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas; Customs must verify licences at import and may provisionally assess consignments pending end use proof, with State Electricity Boards potentially designated to issue end use certificates.

Document submission rules: exporters may lodge originals under one scheme and provide self certified photocopies with file reference for others.
Where originals are required under more than one scheme before the same Regional Licensing Authority, the exporter may submit the original documents under one scheme and supply self certified photocopies in other sections; the applicant must indicate the file number where the originals were lodged so the Regional Licensing Authority can verify them.

Interest calculation: prescribed rate treated as simple interest for regularisation of bonafide export obligation defaults under export handbook procedure.
The prescribed interest rate for recovery of customs duty on unutilised exempt materials, in the context of regularising bonafide defaults under Para 7.28 of the Handbook of Procedures, is to be taken as simple interest. This clarification follows consultation with the revenue department and defines the operative calculation rule for regularisation of export-obligation defaults.

Standard Input-Output Norms updated to add new export-import entries and revise input specifications across multiple product groups.
Public Notice amends the Handbook of Procedures, Vol.2 by adding new SION entries across Chemicals, Engineering, Food, Plastic and Textile product groups and prescribing detailed input-output norms in Annexures B-F. The amendments substitute, correct or restore import item descriptions and quantities, add alternative allowable inputs subject to plant capability or user conditions, and include notes on composition limits, permitted wastage allowances and specified validity periods for certain norms.

Export Import procedure amendments tighten licence filing rules, proof and certification requirements and clarify Special Import Licence eligibility.
Amendments revise procedural, documentary and eligibility rules for export import licences: allow Advance Licence/Special Imprest to be conterminous with project execution periods; set six month filing windows and proof requirements for Gold Replenishment Licence; clarify deemed export claims for DTA supplies to EOUs/EPZs (excluding Special Imprest Licence); establish deadlines and procedures for fixation and claim of brand rate drawback with late cut application; and amend multiple appendices to standardise certification language, CIF/DEPB inclusion rules and recognised quality certification bodies for Special Import Licence eligibility.

Payment of customs duty in Indian Rupees permitted for nominated agencies and SIL surrendering importers for gold and silver imports.
Import of gold and silver is permitted to nominated and authorised agencies designated by the Reserve Bank of India or the Ministry of Finance; customs duty may be paid in Indian Rupees by such agencies without surrender of a Special Import Licence (SIL), and by other importers in Indian Rupees upon surrender of a SIL, with duty amounts and procedures as notified by the Department of Revenue.

Revalidation and extension of advance licences: pro rata reduction allowed; penalty applies to unfulfilled export value.
Revalidation and extension of Advance Licences under the Duty Exemption Scheme permit pro rata reduction of export obligations where shortfall does not exceed fifteen percent and no imports occurred, with fulfilment measured against the reduced obligation. Further extension of the obligation period attracts a penalty on the unfulfilled FOB value as prescribed by Public Notice No.38, but no penalty applies where value obligations are met and only quantity remains outstanding. Public Notice No.38 applies to Chapter 7 licences issued under EXIM Policy 1992-97 on or before the stated cut off and also covers Special Imprest Licences, subject to project contractual duration and EXIM guidelines.

DEPB rate notification updates: new product coverage and amended credit rates incorporated into the procedural appendix.
Notification under the DEPB scheme adds twenty-seven new products and amends descriptions and/or credit rates for listed items; the annexures containing these rate entries are incorporated into Appendix 28A of the Handbook of Procedures, Vol. I, thereby updating the operative schedule of export benefit rates authorized under the Export and Import Policy.

Extension of Export Obligation permitted for certain advance licences; revalidation subject to committee approval and penalty.
Advance licences issued in March-June 1995 may be considered for revalidation or extension of export obligation periods beyond 30 months up to December 31, 1997, by the Advance Licensing Committee, Headquarters, applying parameters in Public Notices No.38 and No.40 and under the Director General's authority; extensions that cause the obligation period to exceed 30 months are subject to a penalty on the unfulfilled value of the export obligation.