Input-output norms modification updates SION entries, adding and revising input lists and quantities under Annexures A-D.
The Director General of Foreign Trade, exercising powers under Paragraph 2.4 of the Export and Import Policy 2002-2007, issues a Public Notice substituting, deleting and adding Standard Input Output Norms in the Handbook of Procedures, Vol. II. The Notice supplies detailed replacement norms, alternative inputs, quantities and engineering table cross references in Annexure A, and adds new SION entries in Annexures B (A-3240-A-3256), C (C-1924-C-1927) and D (H-536), affecting Chemicals & Allied, Engineering, Plastics, Food and Textile product groups and modifying applicable General Notes and import conditions.

EPCG nexus fixation revised: regional offices finalize below threshold cases while headquarters handles above threshold applications.
Amendments revise EPCG procedural allocation: RLAs grant licences on self declaration and fix nexus for below threshold cases, while headquarters fixes nexus for above threshold applications; committees must finalize nexus within two months based on Chartered Engineer certificates and EPCG nexus norms, failure to do so renders the applied nexus final, and RLAs must maintain sector/industry registers. Appendix 9 now requires a Chartered Engineer certificate detailing end use or essentiality of imported machinery/spares and specific registration or manufacturing licences where applicable.

Import restriction on second hand personal computers: treated as second hand goods and excluded from EPCG eligibility.
Second hand personal computers and laptops are classified as second hand goods under Para 2.17 of the EXIM Policy, 2002-07 and are not covered by the definition of capital goods in Para 9.10 or Para 2.33 of the Handbook of Procedures. Consequently they are subject to import restrictions for second hand goods and are ineligible for import under the EPCG scheme under Para 5.1, including for service providers.

Advance licence condition for drugs: export obligation runs from first import and must be completed within a fixed period.
The Handbook of Procedure amendment provides that for Advance Licences for drugs issued against a specific export order with a pre-import condition, the period for fulfillment of the export obligation commences from the date of import of the first consignment and must be completed within a short, prescribed period; the change is effected by the Director General of Foreign Trade under powers in the Export and Import Policy.

Exemption from registration for drug imports under the Advance Licensing Scheme permits endorsed licences with specified exclusions and conditions.
Exemption from registration procedure for imports of drugs is extended to all drugs under the Advance Licensing Scheme. Applicants must apply for an Advance Licence per the policy circular, and the Licensing Authority will endorse that the exemption has been granted. Exclusions include deemed exports, annual requirement licences, DFRC and DEPB. DCGI representation on the ALC is required for ratification; where SION applies, existing procedures and endorsements to DCGI and State Drugs Controller continue. Importers with licences not issued under the policy circular must register or obtain fresh licences; export obligation runs from import of the first consignment.

DEPB schedule amendment revises an engineering product value cap and adds 3,4 dichloro aniline entitlement to list.
The Director General of Foreign Trade, under the Export and Import Policy and Handbook of Procedures, revises the value cap for the engineering product entry at Sl. No. 573 (Product Code 61) and inserts a new chemicals entry at Sl. No. 993 for 3,4 dichloro aniline (Product Code 62) with an assigned DEPB entitlement and no value cap.

Standard Input Output Norms amended: DGFT updates Handbook of Procedures adding, substituting and deleting sectoral norms.
The Director General of Foreign Trade issues Public Notice No.23 (RE-03) under Paragraph 2.4 of the Export and Import Policy 2002-2007 directing amendments, substitutions, deletions and additions to the Handbook of Procedures, Vol.2. Annexure A prescribes item-by-item corrections and substituted norms; Annexures B-E add detailed Standard Input Output Norm entries for Chemicals (A-3231-A-3239), Engineering (C-1907-C-1923), Plastics (H-532-H-535) and Textiles (J-355). The Notice also relocates certain norms, deletes specified engineering entries, and sets conditional allowance and accountability rules.

Import permission for crude palm stearin: actual users may obtain consent to process in other plants to use capacity.
Actual users of crude palm stearin may obtain permission from the relevant directorate to process imported crude palm stearin in their other plants in order to utilise unutilised capacity; all other conditions of the referenced Public Notice remain unchanged and continue to govern import and licensing requirements.

DEPB data submission deadline extended; representative export data accepted and fewer copies required under amended filing instructions.
Extension of the submission deadline permits Export Promotion Councils additional time to consolidate and forward representative export data for DEPB rate review. Representative data-covering about sixty to sixty-five percent of total exports under a DEPB entry-is acceptable so long as councils are satisfied as to its representativeness. Administrative amendments reduce the number of copies of the data sheet to be submitted and correct the filing instruction reference from "Appendix I-A" to "Appendix 2".

DEPB rate amendments revise engineering and textile product entries, correcting descriptions, rates and adding new entitlements.
Public Notice No. 22(RE-03) amends the DEPB schedule: Engineering (Code 61) entries revised-Sl.65 to "Ferrous Automotive Products," Sl.121 to "Collar of MS Sheet," Sl.437 corrected to "Steel Hinges Bar Type" with specified DEPB rate and value cap effective 1.4.2003; Sl.498 description amended for specified steel backed copper alloy bearings; new Sl.584 "Nickel Screen" inserted with a DEPB entitlement. Textile (Code 89) Sl.36-A description amended to "Woollen blended shawls/scarves/mufflers containing wool and polyester/viscose."

Prior import condition restricts issuance of advance licences for certain spices to specified export-linked approvals.
Amends Handbook of Procedures to require that Advance Licences for cloves, cinnamon and cassia be allowed only when linked to specified export products and that licences for cloves be issued with a prior import condition; further requires that Advance Licences for cardamom under the identified Handbook provisions be issued by Regional Licensing Authorities only under a prior import condition for cardamom.

Input output norms modification updates SION entries and adds new input/output specifications across chemicals and engineering products.
The Director General of Foreign Trade, exercising delegated authority under the Export and Import Policy, amends the Standard Input Output Norms in the Handbook of Procedures by substituting, correcting and adding SION entries. The Public Notice introduces new SIONs for Chemicals and Allied Products and for Engineering Products, revises import input lists and permitted quantities, adds alternative inputs and ancillary items, and attaches footnotes and CIF value restrictions and percentage allowances for coatings and fuels.

Duty free import entitlement for agrochemical exporters conditioned on export turnover and DSIR-registered R&D, subject to verification.
Amendments permit duty free imports under Customs Notification No.21/2002 up to 1% of preceding-year FOB exports for agrochemical manufacturers with preceding-year export turnover of Rs.20 crore or more, conditional on having an R&D wing registered with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research; applicants must submit Appendix 34A to the Regional Licensing Authority, provide a Chartered Accountant-countersigned declaration, and undergo RLA verification. The changes also prohibit arms-related trade with Iraq, bar listed exports to Libya, amend DEPB procedures for defective goods to permit re-export with a 98% credit certificate and fresh DEPB issuance, correct an installation/non-transfer undertaking, and allow limited revalidation of certain textile DEPBs except in cases of fraud or adjudication.

Application fee schedule amended and compliance declarations tightened for import licences under Exim Policy procedures.
The Handbook of Procedures (Vol. I) fee schedule is amended to set graduated application charges and reduced rates for electronic filings across import licence types, SSI filings, duplicates, IEC and identity documents, DEPB and EPCG applications; Appendix-34 declarations now require sectoral use, import value limits relative to exports, installation and non-transfer undertakings and penal liability statements; Appendices 36-A and 17-D add a Port of Registration field; Appendix 17-D's declaration is revised for export basis, authorisation, non-duplication of duty entitlement certificates, compliance requirements and certification of installation for capital goods; EPCG licensing powers are reallocated by duty-saved thresholds.

DEPB rate review requires exporters to submit prescribed data to councils for DGFT review or face automatic rate reduction.
Exporters identified as availing elevated DEPB rates must submit prescribed data and documentary evidence to their Export Promotion Councils for onward submission to DGFT; failure to provide the required material will result in reduction of the DEPB rate for the product. Identified exporters must also furnish detailed product consumption and technical documentation, including drawings, catalogues, manufacturing process descriptions and stagewise wastage, to enable review of the SION on which prior rates were fixed.

Export-Import Policy amendment updates EOU/SEZ compliance, DTA sale entitlement, NFE treatment and Advance Licence CIF adjustments.
Amendments to the Export-Import Policy Handbook (Vol. I) expand registration data fields, revise EOU/EHTP/STP and SEZ scheme rules to treat DTA sale entitlement in totality, clarify which DTA supplies count for positive NFE, apply replenishment licence procedures, permit transfer or DTA disposal of unused imported goods subject to duties and approvals, require enhanced disclosures and production data, update Agri Export Zones and Export Promotion Council entries, and allow licensing authorities to adjust Advance Licence CIF values subject to value addition and input output norms.

Mandatory online filing of IEC trade returns required; manual or postal submissions are not accepted, use the eximpol portal.
Mandatory online submission of IEC trade returns is required using the eximpol website and the prescribed format; manual or postal filings are not permitted. Trade must access the IEC (Trade Returns) index on the portal to submit returns and may direct filing queries to the designated contact e mail.

Provisional IEC issuance allows manual customs clearance pending actual PAN submission for importers and exporters.
IECs will be issued with a provisional/dummy PAN when PAN issuance is delayed; applicants must provide proof they have applied for PAN and must submit the actual PAN when issued so the IEC database can be updated and corrected data transmitted for BIN generation, while customs will be asked to allow manual clearance against the provisional IEC.

Ad-hoc DEPB rates framework enables provisional duty credit rates for SION-covered exports, subject to documentation and conversion.
Guidelines provide a provisional procedure for fixation of ad-hoc DEPB rates where SION exist but exporters lack sufficient data. Ad-hoc rates, notified by Public Notice and valid for six months, require Appendix 10A applications with declared FOB per unit and allow CIF input valuation via customs data or recognised sources. The Advance Licensing Committee computes value addition, the DEPB Committee fixes the ad-hoc rate accounting for customs duty and uses FOB as the value cap, and exporters must submit actual export details within four months for conversion to permanent rates.

Tariff Rate Quota eligibility expanded to include a government enterprise and application deadline extended for specific oil imports.
Amendment to the Tariff Rate Quota procedure revises the final submission date for completed application forms and prescribed documents for specified TRQ items and adds Project and Equipment Corporation of India Ltd. as an eligible entity for quota access for crude sunflower/safflower oil (and fractions) and refined rape/colza/mustard oil; all other previously prescribed conditions and modalities remain unchanged.