DEPB Scheme: Bill of Export accepted as valid export document for issuing DEPB on exports via notified land customs.
For exports through notified land customs stations, the Bill of Export shall be accepted in place of the Shipping Bill for issuance of DEPB; the licensing authority must endorse the Bill of Export number and date, FOB value in Indian rupees as per the Bill of Export, and description of the export on the DEPB, and the Bill of Export is recognised as a relevant export document for notified land customs (including specified stations) to facilitate DEPB claims.

DEPB validity clarified ensuring duty credit entitlement exists on the date of duty debit, with related EPCG transitional adjustments.
DEPB is affirmed as a duty credit entitlement that must be valid when actual duty is debited; certification for imported metallic waste/scrap must confirm classification by internationally accepted parameters. Indigenous manufacturers supplying EPCG holders may seek Advance Licences for deemed exports to import components. Transitional provisions allow issuance or conversion of Advance Licences for unutilised prior EPCG licences without extra fee and permit reissuance under prior EPCG schemes for a specified import window. Licence-holders must produce installation certificates within six months. DEPB valuation requires converting FOB free foreign exchange at the authorised dealer's T/T buying rate on negotiation date and licensing authorities must endorse DEPBs with CIF/FOB limitations. Appendix-28A product descriptions are corrected.

Regularisation of Advance Licences: exports with minor packaging differences may count toward obligation if inputs are accounted.
Exports whose contents conform to the Advance Licence description may be counted toward export obligation despite differences in external description (such as packing size), provided inputs are properly accounted for under SION or ad hoc norms. This treatment applies even where the licence was already regularised but the exports were not counted, so long as the licence is still valid or has been revalidated by the competent authority.

Value Based Advance Licence shortfall relief: pro rata CIF reduction with duty recovery, interest and SIL for excess imports.
Where shortfall under a Value Based Advance Licence does not exceed 15%, grant pro rata reduction without converting to a Quantity Based Advance Licence by taking the lesser percentage fulfillment of quantity or value to reduce CIF entitlement; if CIF utilised exceeds the reduced CIF, compute duty benefit availed, determine entitlement on the reduced CIF and recover the balance duty with 24% interest and SIL. Sensitive items limited to actual exported quantities. Adjudicated cases are not re opened.

Electronic filing requirement mandates online submission for status holders with computerized receipt and subsequent licence or deficiency notice.
Electronic filing is compulsory for status holders for Advance Licences, DEPBs and REP Licences under the Gems & Jewellery Scheme; applicants must file online to obtain an electronic file number and then submit a hard copy with all prescribed documents and fee quoting that number. A computerised receipt with a target processing date will be issued, the hard copy will be scrutinised alongside the downloaded electronic application, and the office will issue either the licence or a deficiency letter by the target date.

Deemed export benefits for World Bank financed ERSC&C project apply to qualifying supplies, subject to loan materialisation conditions.
Deemed export benefits under Paragraph 10.2(d) of the Export and Import Policy are extended to supplies to the Eastern Region System Coordination and Control transmission project by treating it as World Bank financed, thereby entitling such supplies to benefits under Paragraph 10.3; if World Bank financing fails, benefits will not be available and the Power Grid Corporation must return benefits availed under transitional arrangements.

Amendment to Export and Import Policy updates product classifications and clarifies DEPB applicability for export benefits.
Amendment to the Export and Import Policy procedures revises product descriptions in Handbook (Vol. I), specifying API/ASTM-grade carbon steel pipes and hot-formed bends, enumerating pharmaceutical formulations for export classification, and clarifying that the stated DEPB rate applies only where no specific DEPB rates exist; formulations with multiple bulk drugs receive DEPB rates per the existing policy circular. A corrigendum corrects iron casting descriptions to include spheroidal graphite, grey, malleable and ductile castings (rough/machined), affecting exporter classification and benefit eligibility.

Size restrictions on plastic scrap apply only to irregular-shaped pieces, not to other specified scrap types.
Clarification that size-restrictions in para 1(ii) of Public Notice No. 392/92-97 apply only to pieces of irregular shape and not to other types of plastic scraps or wastes specified in the Public Notice; issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade with concurrence of the Ministry of Environment and Forests and approval of the Director General.

Export ceiling on cotton yarn clarified: exemptions and limited relief for EOUs and EPCG units subject to conditions.
Imposes an overall quantitative export ceiling for cotton yarn of prescribed counts for the calendar year while preserving exemptions: 100% EOUs licensed without count or domestic cotton sourcing conditions remain fully exempt; EOUs with count restrictions may export without count or domestic sourcing limits until year-end provided exports fall within the overall ceiling. EPCG units licensed without count or sourcing conditions are exempt from the ceiling to the extent of meeting their annualised export obligation, and EPCG units with restrictions are temporarily permitted relief from those restrictions until year-end so long as exports remain within the overall ceiling. A separate ceiling for hank yarn below a specified count is also fixed with certain exemptions retained.

ITC(HS) code requirement on shipping bills means exports filed without the code will be ineligible for export benefits.
Mandatory inclusion of the ITC(HS) code at the eight digit level is required on all shipping bills and on licence application forms; omission will not delay customs clearance but will disqualify exports from receiving export benefits. To assist traders, the DGFT provides an online ITC(HS) database, an e mail contact, and regional licensing office telephone support, with Export Promotion Councils available for further assistance.

Return of bank guarantees: licensing authorities must return original bank guarantees to banks upon redemption, informing licensees.
Licensing authorities must return the original bank guarantee to the issuing bank on redemption of the case where the export obligation has been completed, with intimation to the licensee; this replaces the earlier practice of issuing a redemption letter and endorsing a copy to the bank, and follows consultation with the central banking authority.

Standard Input Output Norms amendments expand and correct SION entries, adding chemical, plastic, textile, food and miscellaneous inputs.
The Director General of Foreign Trade, invoking Paragraph 4.11 of the Export and Import Policy, amends the Handbook of Procedures, Vol.2 by correcting, substituting, deleting and adding Standard Input Output Norms (SION). Annexure A records detailed corrections to existing SION entries including revised export/import descriptions, substituted input norms and amended footnotes; Annexures B-F add new SION entries for chemicals, food, plastics, textiles and miscellaneous products, specifying allowed input items and quantitative input output ratios or applicable notes.

Electronic filing of export licences expedites issuance for status and green card holders, with accelerated processing for others.
Electronic filing under the Duty Exemption Scheme is made available to all exporters via the DGFT website; deficiencies will be notified online but applicants must submit hard copies and fees. Licences for status holders and green card holders are to be issued within twenty four hours on receipt of required hard copies, while licences for other exporters are to be issued within three working days. EDI-filed applications by status and green card holders are recorded for one working day disposal in the time bound schedule.

Export ceiling on wheat set; wheat products exempted and APEDA authorised to issue Registration-cum-Allocation Certificates.
The notice, exercising powers under Paragraph 4.11 of the Export and Import Policy, fixes a quantitative ceiling on export of wheat for the licensing year, permits export of wheat products without a quantitative ceiling, and designates APEDA to issue Registration-cum-Allocation Certificates to implement allocations under that ceiling.

Issuance of duplicate Green Card allows duplicate on affidavit and updates DEPB rates and related appendices.
Issuance of duplicate Green Card is permitted on an affidavit when the original is lost or misplaced. Re-fixation of average export obligation mandates exclusion of exports to former USSR and other notified countries, reducing previously fixed average obligations. The DEPB Schedule (Appendix 28A) is amended to add and correct product entries, DEPB rates and value caps for specified engineering, chemical and electronics items. Appendices are updated to add the Jute Manufacturers Development Council, specified international agencies for deemed export benefits, amendments to the DTA sale application form for EOU/EPZ units, and additions to Appendix-51B including national organisations and a state chamber listing.

Nexus fixation for EPCG applications: RLAs need not forward listed capital goods cases to HQ; only non-listed items referred.
RLAs need not forward EPCG applications to Headquarters for nexus approval when capital goods are covered by the notified lists for Hotel, Textile and Garment and other sectors; such licences may be issued within RLA financial limits and previously referred cases on the list should be regularised. Only capital goods not covered by the lists must be specifically referred to Headquarters with a clear forwarding reference for nexus fixation.

Classification under ITC(HS): clarifications assign tariff codes and conditional treatment for specified export import products.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade clarified classification of specified products under the ITC(HS) schedule after committee review, assigning Exim codes and stating applicable conditions such as ITC(HS) entry conditions, predominance of plant material, and application of chapter notes; examples include crude mineral-origin drugs, aloe preparations, abrasive backing cloth versus finished abrasive cloth, transdermal medical patches, photocopy paper for industrial reproduction, plastic agglomerates, UV curing systems, vehicle chassis, marine mooring equipment, and racket grips.

Quantitative ceiling on sugar exports set for licensing year and allocated to APEDA for issuance of export registration certificates.
Pursuant to Paragraph 4.11 of the Export & Import Policy 1997-2002 and referencing the ITC(HS) classification for sugar, the Director General of Foreign Trade fixes a quantitative ceiling on sugar exports for the licensing year 2000-2001 and places the allocated quantity at the disposal of APEDA for issuance of Registration-cum-allocation Certificates (RCACs) to exporters.

Foreign Exchange Management Act guidance centre offers rapid responses and monitored escalation for exchange control compliance queries to trade.
The Reserve Bank of India has established an Information Centre to receive public queries on the Foreign Exchange Management Act and exchange control matters via fax, e mail and telephone; routine queries will receive prompt responses while complex queries will be acknowledged and forwarded to the relevant Department using monitored procedures for timely disposal by HOD/RD.

CIF valuation rule for advance licences now includes deemed export FOR value and revised value-addition norms apply.
The Handbook (Vol.1) amendment requires that CIF valuation for Advance Licence for deemed exports/intermediate supply include deemed export performance of the preceding year (FOR value) in addition to FOB of preceding-year physical exports. Appendix 28-A corrects a DEPB cap to Rs. 0.85 per piece and revises an engineering product description. Appendix 39 sets value-addition at 33% or the Handbook (Vol.2) percentage, whichever is higher, for exports to the Russian Federation funded from Special Rupee Accounts involving duty-free imports. Appendix 51B adds an Assistant Director (Marketing) post in Saharanpur.