Export insurance eligibility expanded under RELIEF for new ECGC Whole Turnover Policies issued from the specified date.
Component II of the Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation (RELIEF) under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) supports exporters in obtaining ECGC credit insurance cover for consignments to specified countries in the affected Gulf and West Asia region. It is clarified that the benefit is also available to exporters who obtain a new ECGC Whole Turnover Policy for the first time on or after 16.03.2026, while all other provisions remain unchanged.

Social Stock Exchange funding rules ease NPO registration timelines and lower minimum subscription for zero coupon zero principal instruments.
Registration of a Not for Profit Organization on a Social Stock Exchange may continue without fund raising for two years, with a possible one-year extension subject to approval. The minimum subscription requirement for issuance of Zero Coupon Zero Principal Instruments is reduced to 50% where the Social Stock Exchange undertakes due diligence and is satisfied that the funds can be deployed in a meaningful manner consistent with the disclosed objects of the issue. In case of under-subscription, the NPO must disclose how the balance capital will be raised and the impact on social objectives, and refund the funds if the minimum subscription is not achieved.

Export cargo container handling rules provide conditional return and verification procedures after diversion at foreign ports and route disruption.
Procedure is prescribed for export cargo containers originating from India that are off-loaded at intermediate foreign ports and subsequently returned to Indian ports because of disruption in maritime routes. The measure requires SAM filing, verification of container and seal particulars against shipping documents, conditional relaxation from Bill of Entry filing where seal integrity is intact, cancellation of Shipping Bills and LEO through the prescribed EDI module, and compliance with back-to-town procedures. Tampered or non-intact seals trigger 100% examination and re-import procedures, with recovery of export incentives where already disbursed.

Customs Cargo Service Provider suspension with safeguards for goods already lying in the CFS.
Suspension of approval as a Customs Cargo Service Provider was ordered in respect of M/s International Cargo Terminal Private Limited under Regulation 11(2) of the Handling of Cargo in Customs Areas Regulations, 2009, with immediate effect until further orders. Goods already lying with the service provider on the date of suspension may be cleared for export or import after due process, while fresh receipt of export or imported goods into the CFS must stop forthwith, subject to filings made before the suspension order.

Social Impact Assessor certification requires the prescribed NISM examination or renewal through the eCPE program.
Social Impact Assessors must obtain and maintain the prescribed National Institute of Securities Markets certification under the SEBI ICDR framework. The specified certification is the NISM Series XXIII - Social Impact Assessors Certification Examination. For renewal, the assessor must either retake the examination or complete the NISM Series XXIII - Social Impact Assessors Certification eCPE Program.

Custodian appointment for cargo handling at the berth is subject to compliance, security guarantees and customs approval.
M/s. JSW Kolkata Container Terminal Private Limited is appointed as Custodian and Customs Cargo Service Provider for NSD Berth No. 07 and its back-up area at Kolkata Dock Systems in connection with the mechanisation of the berth under the concession arrangement. The appointment is made under the Customs Act, 1962 and the Handling of Cargo in Customs Areas Regulations, 2009, and is subject to compliance with all applicable customs laws, regulations, notifications and orders. The custodian must furnish the prescribed bond, bank guarantee, insurance and indemnity, and may commence operations only after customs approval.

Extended customs working hours enable examination of pending import cargo and processing of Out of Charge for Bills of Entry.
Extended customs working hours have been permitted at Container Freight Stations for examination of pending import cargo and processing of Out of Charge for pending Bills of Entry. CFS offices will remain open until 8.00 PM on working days until further orders, with special working during regular hours on the specified weekend. Importers and Customs Brokers are requested to complete pending customs formalities and obtain Out of Charge, while importers may also use the warehousing facility available under the Customs Act.

International cargo transhipment is permitted across ports and airports, with designated officers ensuring expedited processing and procedural compliance.
International transhipment of FCL and LCL cargo is permitted from all seaports and international airports, including through other Customs stations, to facilitate trade affected by maritime-route disruption. The facility is subject to the Customs Act, 1962, applicable rules and prescribed procedures. Each Customs Zone must designate a Nodal Officer of at least Additional Commissioner or Joint Commissioner rank to expedite and supervise transhipment requests. The notified Chennai Customs Zone officer will oversee processing and procedural compliance.

Deferred Customs Duty Payment enables approved manufacturer importers to clear goods after authenticated filing, subject to continuing eligibility and payment deadlines.
Deferred payment of Customs import duty is available to approved Eligible Manufacturer Importers from 1 April 2026 until 31 March 2028. Eligibility requires importer and manufacturing or qualifying job-work status, valid IEC and GST registration, prescribed customs activity, GST compliance, business continuity, financial solvency, and absence of specified tax defaults, insolvency, prosecutions, or adverse prior EMI findings. Applications are filed electronically and, once approved, require ICEGATE-based nodal-person authentication for Bills of Entry. Duty remains payable by the prescribed deferred-payment due dates, subject to monitoring and possible suspension or revocation if eligibility ceases.

E-waste disposal notice invites KSPCB-registered handlers to quote for incineration and transport services.
KSPCB-registered e-waste dismantlers, recyclers and refurbishers are invited to submit quotations for disposal of seized and confiscated electronic waste at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru. The proposed disposal covers refurbished laptops, mobile phones, used or damaged televisions and RF circuit boards by incineration in accordance with Karnataka State Pollution Control Board norms, including transportation, loading and unloading services.

Export rebate treatment allows full FOB-based benefits for RoDTEP and RoSCTL despite short realisation conditions.
Clarification is issued on the treatment of short realisation of export sale proceeds for grant of RoDTEP and RoSCTL benefits. The same approach applied to duty drawback is made applicable to these schemes: remission or rebate may be granted on the full FOB value without deducting agency commission and foreign banking charges, subject to the prescribed 12.5% limit of FOB value. Compensation received from the Export Credit Guarantee Corporation may be treated as receipt of sale proceeds, and remission or rebate may not be recovered if the required write-off and certification conditions are satisfied.

SEZ export cargo procedure streamlined for disrupted maritime routes, allowing cancellation, re-routing, and bonded warehousing.
Procedure is prescribed for handling export cargo originating from SEZs and affected by disruption in maritime routes arising from closure of the Strait of Hormuz, where cargo originally cleared from SEZs is lying at gateway ports. On request of the exporter, the originating SEZ may cancel the LEO/Shipping Bill, after which the Customs officer at the gateway port may permit movement of the cargo out of the port for return to the exporter or for re-routing, subject to compliance with the Customs Act, 1962. The cargo need not be taken back to the originating SEZ, and the custodian at the gateway port is to ensure proper accounting.

Non-resident investment in debt instruments consolidated under updated RBI directions for banks and market participants.
Reserve Bank of India consolidated existing instructions on non-resident investment in debt instruments into the Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India (Non-resident Investment in Debt Instruments) Directions, 2025, as amended. The framework covers investments in debt instruments by Non-Resident Indians and the offering of debt instruments acquired under FEMA 396 as collateral to recognized stock exchanges in India for exchange traded derivative contracts. Authorised Dealer Category-I banks are to note the updated Direction and inform constituents and customers concerned.

Tariff Rate Quota applications deadline extended for treaty-based imports under the Foreign Trade Policy framework.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade extends the last date for filing online Tariff Rate Quota applications for the financial year 2026-27 under the India-Mauritius CECPA and the India-Nepal Treaty to 25.04.2026. The extension applies to the TRQ items notified under Appendix 2-A of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023, and import of the listed goods remains subject to the prescribed arrangements and procedures in the relevant annexures. All other terms and conditions under Appendix 2-A continue to apply.

Calcined petroleum coke import allocation follows quota-based applications, compliance checks, and capacity certification for the 2026-27 year.
Applications are invited for allocation of import quantities of Calcined Petroleum Coke for use in the Aluminium Industry and Raw Petroleum Coke for CPC manufacturing units for the financial year 2026-27, within the prescribed quota and procedure. Allocation is to be made on a case-by-case basis through the DGFT system, subject to import policy conditions, environmental guidelines, compliance undertakings, capacity certification by the concerned State Pollution Control Board, and the validity period of the restricted import authorisation.

Standard operating procedure for diverted break bulk cargo continues at Mumbai Port with a designated nodal officer.
Public notice extends the validity of the existing standard operating procedure for handling diverted break bulk cargo for international transhipment at Mumbai Port until 15.04.2026. A nodal officer is designated for implementation and coordination of the procedure, with contact particulars and office address specified for the assigned responsibility.

International transhipment of FCL and LCL cargo allowed through all ports and airports with Customs control and electronic coordination.
International transhipment of FCL and LCL cargo is permitted from all seaports and international airports, including movement through other Customs stations, subject to compliance with the Customs Act, 1962 and the applicable rules. The prescribed procedure is to be followed, with priority permissions granted by the jurisdictional Assistant or Deputy Commissioner of Customs after verification. Where cargo moves through a transit or destination Customs station, prior electronic consent, adequate storage, logistics support, Customs control, and proper sealing where required are mandated.

International transshipment of FCL and LCL cargo gets facilitation through coordinated Customs consent, custody, and rerouting procedures.
International transshipment of FCL/LCL cargo is permitted from all seaports and international airports in response to maritime disruption, subject to compliance with the Customs Act and relevant rules. Multiple-station transshipment requires prior inter-station consent, verification of storage and logistics readiness, priority processing at the originating station, and movement under Customs control. Custodians must ensure safe custody, accounting, records, and prompt reporting of discrepancies. Export cargo lying at gateway ports after ICD clearance may have LEO or Shipping Bill cancelled on request and be moved out for return or rerouting, with electronic coordination preferred.

Pledged shares lock-in mechanism gains a non-transferable framework under the ICDR Regulations for market compliance.
SEBI has introduced an operational mechanism under the ICDR Regulations for lock-in of pledged shares where conventional lock-in cannot be created. Such securities may be recorded as non-transferable by depositories for the applicable lock-in period, supported by issuer-level measures including Articles of Association provisions, lender or pledgee intimations, and disclosures in offer documents. Stock exchanges, depositories, merchant bankers and issuers are required to ensure compliance with the revised mechanism.

Sea Cargo Manifest compliance is extended, with electronic declarations required and awareness programmes supporting smoother implementation.
Implementation of the Sea Cargo Manifest and Transshipment Regulations, 2018 has been extended through a further transitional period, while import-export manifest messaging has been successfully implemented and stuffing messages are live across sites. During the extended timeline, stakeholders must submit correct declarations electronically in the prescribed format, and weekly awareness and outreach programmes will be conducted to support compliance and address operational issues.