Forex counter regulation allows exchange of Indian Rupee notes by residents and non-residents at international airport departure halls.
Foreign exchange counters in international airports may accept exchange of Indian Rupee notes from residents as well as non-residents at departure halls in the Duty-Free Area or Security Hold Area beyond the Immigration or Customs desk. The instruction revises the existing framework governing money changing activities in airports and requires the Master Direction on Money Changing Activities to be amended accordingly.

Export obligation discharge certificates drive extended to clear old Advance Authorisation and EPCG pending cases
Special drive for expeditious issuance of Export Obligation Discharge Certificates under the Advance Authorisation and EPCG schemes has been extended from 1 April 2026 to 31 May 2026. The extended drive prioritises older pending applications, long-deficient cases, and matters delayed for want of complete documents or clarification from authorisation holders. Trade and authorisation holders are advised to furnish outstanding documents promptly and respond within prescribed timelines. Regional Authorities must adopt an age-wise pendency clearance strategy.

Mandatory body camera recording for import cargo examinations strengthens transparency, audit trails and preservation of evidence in Customs processes.
Mandatory Body Worn Camera use is required for Customs officers conducting physical examination of import cargo to create a transparent and auditable examination record and minimise disputes. Recording must start before packages or containers are opened and continue through completion, covering goods examination, stakeholder interactions, seal condition, opening, verification of description and quantity, and sampling where required. Interruptions must be recorded with reasons. Recordings must be securely retained for two years, or until final disposal where linked to investigation, dispute or litigation.

International Valuation Standards notified for insolvency valuations under the Code across resolution, liquidation, and bankruptcy processes.
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India notifies International Valuation Standards issued by the International Valuation Standards Council as the applicable valuation standards for all valuations conducted under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 and the regulations made thereunder. The circular applies to corporate insolvency resolution, liquidation, voluntary liquidation, pre-packaged insolvency resolution, and bankruptcy of personal guarantors, and remains effective from the date of issue until further orders.

Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal functioning notice sets Chennai Bench jurisdiction, filing procedure, and e-filing support framework.
The Chennai Bench of the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal has commenced operations at its temporary office in Chennai and will exercise jurisdiction over specified districts in Tamil Nadu. All appeals, applications and related proceedings within this jurisdiction are to be instituted before the Chennai Bench in accordance with the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (Procedure) Rules, 2025 and other applicable directions. The GSTAT portal also provides the e-filing advisory, procedure rules, presidential orders and filing support through helpline and help-centre facilities.

Faceless assessment of SEZ to DTA bills of entry streamlines concessional duty clearance while existing compliance requirements continue.
Concessional duty benefits for eligible SEZ manufacturing units clearing goods to the Domestic Tariff Area require the Bill of Entry for home consumption to be filed on the common portal and assessed under the Customs Act and rules. Such Bills of Entry are to be processed through faceless assessment and the Risk Management System, while existing SEZ filing and compliance requirements remain unchanged. Post-assessment functions continue with the jurisdictional specified officer or authorised officer, and grievances are to be routed through the ICEGATE Helpdesk.

Foreign exchange derivative restrictions tighten on INR contracts, limiting non-deliverable positions, rebooking, and related-party dealings.
Authorised Dealers are prohibited from offering non-deliverable derivative contracts involving INR to resident or non-resident users, while deliverable foreign exchange derivative contracts may continue only for hedging requirements and only where no offsetting non-deliverable positions are maintained. Rebooking of any cancelled foreign exchange derivative contract involving INR is barred, and no foreign exchange derivative contract involving INR may be undertaken with related parties. The instructions apply immediately until further review.

Overseas investment references now move to designated Reserve Bank Regional Offices through PRAVAAH portal routing for authorised dealer banks.
Submission of references relating to overseas investment received from persons resident in India through authorised dealer category I banks is shifted from central processing to seven designated Regional Offices with effect from 1 April 2026. Banks must route such references through the Reserve Bank's PRAVAAH portal in accordance with the relevant UIN prefix mapping to the specified Regional Office.

Guarantee reporting under FEMA requires specified returns, quarterly submission through CIMS, and unique transaction numbering.
Reporting obligations under the Foreign Exchange Management (Guarantees) Regulations, 2026 require use of specified RBI return files for guarantee issuance, modification and invocation. Authorised dealer banks must submit the returns through CIMS within thirty calendar days from the end of the relevant quarter and assign a unique Guarantee Transaction Number for each guarantee issuance. For late submission fee purposes, invocation returns are measured by the liability created on invocation, while issue and modification returns are treated as Nil.

Email id change for EDI communications updates the filing channel for AD Code and IFSC registration matters.
The official email ID of the EDI Section, Jawaharlal Nehru Custom House, Nhava Sheva has been changed for communications relating to AD Code and IFSC registration or modification in ICES. Stakeholders must use the updated email ID for communications and documents such as Bank Authorization Letters, NOCs and related correspondence, and the earlier email address is no longer to be used. All other procedures, documentary requirements, timelines and instructions remain unchanged.

Body Worn Cameras mandate for import cargo examination requires full recording, storage, and preservation during disputes or investigations.
Mandatory use of Body Worn Cameras during physical examination of import cargo at Container Freight Stations under JNCH applies from 01.04.2026. The examination must be recorded from before opening of packages or containers until completion, covering key stages such as seal condition, opening, verification of description and quantity, sampling where required, and any interruption with reasons. Recordings must be securely stored for two years, and preserved until final disposal where investigations, disputes, or litigation arise.

International transshipment cargo designation for specified Container Freight Stations under customs compliance and prescribed processing procedure.
Specified Container Freight Stations are designated for international transshipment cargo in the JNCH jurisdiction to facilitate trade and ensure smooth handling of transhipment containers. Two CFSs are permitted to handle both FCL and LCL cargo, while three others are permitted to handle LCL cargo, subject to compliance with the Customs Act, 1962, the rules and regulations made thereunder, and the instructions contained in the referenced circulars. International transhipment requests are to be processed under the procedure prescribed in Board Circular No. 14/2007-Cus.

Courier customs reform eases e-commerce exports, return to origin of unclaimed goods, and re-import of returns and rejects.
Customs reforms for courier-based e-commerce and commercial trade remove the earlier value cap on commercial export consignments sent through courier, extending the facilitation to non-e-commerce exports as well. A simplified Return to Origin procedure is prescribed for uncleared or unclaimed imported goods lying in International Courier Terminals for more than 15 days, where the goods are not prohibited, restricted, or intercepted by an enforcement agency. The process for re-import of returned and rejected goods in courier mode, including e-commerce returns and rejects, is simplified through a risk-based approach and a dedicated Return Module.

Document Identification Number rules for income-tax communications allow limited exceptions, post-facto approval, and system upload requirements.
DIN requirements for income-tax communications apply to notices, orders, summons and similar correspondence issued to persons other than officers or authorities, and DIN may be referenced by attachment, email mention or other mode without needing every page to carry DIN. Public communications are excluded. Exceptional cases permit issue without DIN, but the communication must state the reason, obtain post-facto approval within 15 days, and be uploaded on the system within 15 working days with appropriate DIN referencing.

Advance-ruling applications may be treated as withdrawn when applicants repeatedly fail to attend scheduled personal hearings.
An advance-ruling application seeking clarification was treated as infructuous and dismissed as withdrawn because the applicant repeatedly failed to attend scheduled personal hearings, personally or through an authorised representative. Despite multiple hearing notices, the absence was construed as lack of interest in pursuing the clarification. The request was disposed of without examination of the substantive clarification sought.

Advance ruling withdrawal follows repeated non-attendance at personal hearings, leaving the requested tax clarification substantively undecided.
Advance ruling application was treated as withdrawn because neither the applicant nor its authorised representative attended repeated personal-hearing notices. The request for clarification was regarded as infructuous and dismissed as withdrawn without any substantive determination.

GST exemption for government services excludes additional platform user charges collected by authorised electronic service delivery providers.
GST exemption for electronic public-service delivery depends on the identity of the supplier and the nature of the charge. An authorised service provider operating electronic kiosks and delivering services under governmental authorisation remains distinct from the State Government. Exemptions for services supplied by specified governmental bodies cannot apply merely because services are rendered to citizens, businesses, government entities, or small-turnover businesses. Statutory fees payable to a department may be treated separately, but additional user charges collected by the provider over and above statutory charges are consideration for its services and are taxable under GST.

Advance ruling applications may be treated as withdrawn when applicants repeatedly fail to attend scheduled personal hearings.
An advance-ruling application for clarification was listed for repeated personal hearings after examination of issue pendency and comments from the jurisdictional tax officer. Neither the applicant nor an authorised representative attended. The continued non-attendance was treated as lack of interest in pursuing the clarification, rendering the application infructuous and resulting in its disposal and dismissal as withdrawn.

Advance ruling applications may be dismissed as withdrawn when applicants repeatedly fail to attend scheduled personal hearings.
An application seeking clarification through advance ruling was treated as infructuous and dismissed as withdrawn after the applicant and its authorised representative failed to attend repeated personal hearings. Continued non-attendance was construed as lack of interest in pursuing the requested clarification.

Advance-ruling applications may be treated as withdrawn when applicants repeatedly fail to attend personal hearings.
Clarification advance-ruling application was treated as infructuous and withdrawn after the applicant and its authorised representative failed to attend repeated personal-hearing notices. The non-attendance was construed as lack of interest in pursuing the requested clarification. The application was consequently dismissed as withdrawn, without any clarification being issued.