Application fee requirement: import licence applications must include prescribed processing fee or they will not be processed.
Importers must submit import authorization applications at the Regional Authority with the prescribed application fee, the processing fee under Appendix 2K of FTP 2015-20. Applications filed at DGFT headquarters without a copy of fee payment will not be processed and no import authorization will be issued.

Standard Input Output Norms amended: revised raw-material input quantities for specified chemical exports take effect immediately.
Amendment revises SION entries for Chemical & Allied Products: SION A-343 reduces Acetic Anhydride for paracetamol from 0.95 kg to 0.75 kg while retaining Phenol and Sodium Nitrite quantities; SION A-3488 reduces Para Amino Phenol from 0.91 kg to 0.80 kg and Acetic Anhydride from 0.85 kg to 0.75 kg. Changes affect input requirements used for export entitlement calculations and take effect from the Public Notice date under powers of the Foreign Trade Policy and Handbook of Procedure.

Average Export Obligation under EPCG Scheme clarified, setting computation rules and permitted capital goods importability conditions.
Notification prescribes computation of Average Export Obligation under the EPCG Scheme: exclude exports counted for fulfilling specific EOs within their valid periods in the preceding three years; for applicants with more than three years' existence, aggregate exports of the past three years divided by three; for less than three years' existence, divide by the number of years. Appendix 5F enumerates capital goods not permitted or permitted only subject to specific conditions, including sector- or use-specific permissions and explicit prohibitions such as second-hand capital goods and certain vehicles.

Deemed foreign exchange: INR payments for specified transport services qualify as foreign receipts enabling SEIS rewards with RBI approval.
Payments received in Indian Rupees for specified transport-related services rendered in Customs Notified Areas to foreign liners or procured by foreign entities are to be treated as deemed foreign exchange and eligible for SEIS rewards. The amendment expands Appendix 3E to include Ground Handling Services under Air Transport Services, but only those payments that the Reserve Bank of India approves as deemed to be received and earned in foreign exchange shall qualify. Specific exclusions for vessel-related charges for coastal and inland vessels and cargo-related coastal charges remain.

SEIS eligibility extension preserves specified reward rates for listed service exports and sets exclusions and conditional limits.
SEIS Appendix 3D is amended to extend the Annexure rates for services exports into the extended eligibility period, prescribe admissible reward rates on net foreign exchange earnings for specified sectors and subperiods, and impose exclusions and conditions on entitlement. The amendment reiterates dependence on the Foreign Trade Policy and Handbook of Procedures, disallows SEIS on education capitation fees, limits maritime transport rewards to operations from India by Indian flag carriers, and lists categories of foreign exchange receipts and sectors excluded from SEIS calculation under a new Note.

MEIS rate revision alters duty credit entitlements for specified export items and adds ineligible categories for scrips.
Amendment revises Appendix 3B of the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20 to modify MEIS duty credit reward rates for specified ITC(HS) entries in Table 2 and to insert Table 3 listing export categories ineligible for Duty Credit Scrip entitlement under MEIS. The revised rates apply for exports made w.e.f. 01.11.2017 (subject to the period set out in the Notice), and the ineligible categories include units availing direct tax exemptions, items restricted or prohibited under Export Policy Schedule-2, selected natural resources, precious metals and stones, cereals, sugar, crude petroleum products, and specified food products unless specifically notified in Appendix 3B.

Handbook of Procedures revises India's export import regime, mandates online EDI filing, digital IEC, and SCOMET export controls.
The Handbook of Procedures (w.e.f. 5 Dec 2017) revises the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020 procedural framework, mandating EDI based, online filing with digital signatures, electronic linking of shipping bills, e BRCs and RCMCs, and dispensing with hard copies for EDI ports. It defines IEC issuance/modification rules, timelines, revalidation and duplicate authorisation mechanisms, BG/LUT requirements, and RA jurisdictional procedures. The Handbook details scheme level rules for MEIS/SEIS, Duty Exemption/Remission (Advance Authorisation/DFIA), EPCG, EOUs, Deemed Exports, and sets out stringent SCOMET export controls, PSIA/PSIC requirements for scrap imports, quality certification and compliance, risk management and appeals.

MEIS incentive rates for numerous ITC HS codes increased from 2% to 4%, effective 01.11.2017 and limited period.
The Director General of Foreign Trade amended Appendix 3B Table 2 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020 to raise MEIS incentive rates for numerous specified ITC HS codes from 2% to 4%; the Public Notice states the enhanced rates operate with effect from 01.11.2017 and, in the notice, are expressed as valid until 30.06.2018, with a subsequent substitution of the earlier wording noted.

Relief in Average Export Obligation for sectors with over 5% export decline, requiring EPCG EO re fixation and endorsement.
Relief under Para 5.19 HBP FTP 2015 20 permits re fixation of the Annual Average Export Obligation where a sector or product group shows a >5% export decline (2016 17 v. 2015 16); Regional Authorities must re fix EO for affected EPCG Authorisations, endorse reductions in licence files and amendment sheets, and consider Para 5.19 and earlier policy circulars before issuing demand notices, with the requirement included in the EODC check sheet.

Certificate of Origin requirement: imports under the bilateral MOU need DGFT NoC before Customs clearance.
Imports under the India-Mozambique MOU are permitted separately from the general annual quota subject to issuance of a Certificate of Origin certified by authorised Mozambican signatories and transmission of a scanned copy to DGFT. The importer must submit the scanned certificate to DGFT to obtain a NoC; DGFT will verify documents and issue NoC, and Customs will clear consignments only upon presentation of that NoC. Transit shipments also require DGFT NoC, and imports are allowed only through specified ports.

Pre-shipment inspection agencies added to official list; approved instruments annexed and three-year validity subject to curtailment.
DGFT has included six additional Pre Shipment Inspection Agencies in Appendix 2G of the Foreign Trade Policy 2015 20, listed their offices and territorial scope, and fixed a three year validity from the notice date subject to possible curtailment. The Public Notice annexes approved spectrometers and survey meters for PSIC issuance and permits three existing PSIAs to add specified instruments as set out in the Annexure.

TRQ import timeframe: raw sugar imports must be completed within the licence defined import completion period.
Imports of raw sugar under the TRQ at 25% customs duty must be completed within the prescribed completion period specified by Customs Notification No. 74/2017, calculated either from the date of the original licence where no amendment occurs or from the date of the amended licence following allocation of additional quantity pursuant to the meeting minutes of 26.9.2017 and 3.10.2017.

Actual user condition permits import of maize by qualifying importers paying normal customs duty instead of TRQ duty.
The High Court initially kept Notification No. 93 (RE-2013) removing EXIM Code 1005 from the STE list in abeyance until 17 December 2014. Subsequently the court allowed import of maize by persons satisfying the actual user condition on payment of the prevailing normal customs duty and not the TRQ duty; further issues on duty and import nature remain subject to the writ petition, and imports are governed accordingly until further orders.

One-time EPCG condonation: RAs may accept late EO and installation submissions on additional fees subject to conditions.
One-time relaxations allow Regional Authorities to condone late requests for block-wise EO extensions and EOP extensions, and to accept delayed installation certificates for EPCG authorizations on payment of an additional composition fee or penalty of Rs.5000 per authorization, subject to documentation (including installation certificate), exclusions for cases under investigation or already rejected, eligibility limited to authorizations issued from a specified cutoff, and receipt of requests by the RA on or before 31 March 2018, with all other FTP and HBP conditions remaining applicable.

Export Obligation extension permitted for legacy advance authorisations subject to composition fees and procedural filing by exporters.
Onetime relief permits clubbing of legacy Advance Licences/Authorisations by filing ANF-4C with the Regional Authority for processing under Handbook of Procedures; clubbing is prohibited where misrepresentation, fraud, EODC/redemption letters, or adjudication orders exist. A onetime extension of Export Obligation periods for specified legacy authorisations is allowed: exports within the initial EO may be regularised without composition fee except in limited categories, while exports beyond the initial term may be regularised on payment of prescribed composition fees calculated on FOB value. All applications must be filed with the RA by the stated deadline and shipping bills must reference the relevant authorisation.

Engineer competence requirement: Chartered Engineers must certify nexus and anticipated wastage within their domain of competence for EPCG.
EPCG authorisations shall be issued on the basis of a nexus certificate from an Independent Chartered Engineer submitted in Appendix 5A; the Engineer must certify any reasonable wastage anticipated at installation for inclusion in the authorisation's condition sheet and must act only within the domain of his/her competence. Appendix 5A is amended to add an affirmation that the Engineer has necessary competence in the relevant field.

Certificate of Origin authorization: MIDC Industries Association enlisted to issue non-preferential certificates under the foreign trade policy.
M/s. MIDC Industries Association is authorised under paragraph 2.04 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020 to issue Certificate of Origin (Non-Preferential) and is added to Appendix 2E (Serial No. 29, Maharashtra) of the Appendices & Aayat Niryat Forms, updating the official list of agencies entitled to issue such certificates.

Revalidation of Authorisations allowed without fee for specified Customs transmission or processing delays, subject to documentation and timelines.
Revalidation of Authorisation/Duty Credit Scrip for non SCOMET items is allowed without fee for the period of delay or six months, whichever is less, where delays resulted from failure to transmit to the Customs server within fifteen working days, Customs server rejection with error code, or non decision on waiver of Bond/EODC despite timely complete application. Revalidation is from the date of endorsement; applicants must submit DGFT and Customs server screenshots to the RA within one month of final acceptance, and RAs must verify before revalidation.

Discontinuation of dedicated GST helpline; alternative DGFT GST app provided for trade and industry queries.
A dedicated telephone line for GST queries is discontinued due to no incoming queries and to avoid unnecessary expenditure; the specific phone number will no longer be in service. Stakeholders are directed to use an online application available on the Director General of Foreign Trade website as the alternative channel for GST-related assistance, with a reference to the relevant Trade Notice for further details.

Import contract registration allowed for pre-notification advance payments, subject to regional approval and documentary bank verification.
The notice permits registration of pre-notification import contracts for moong/urad dal where advance payment was made before the notification date, subject to production of contract/purchase invoice and bank-certified payment details indicating import intent. Applications must be filed with jurisdictional Regional Authorities headed by Additional DGFTs by the specified deadline, pay the prescribed application fee, and obtain Head of Office approval after documentary and bank verification; only designated Zonal and specified Regional Offices will process such registrations under the relaxed Para 1.05 requirement.