Exclusion of customer collected taxes from foreign earnings clarifies SFIS/SEIS duty credit must exclude such taxes for entitlement computation.
Service provider entitlement under SFIS/SEIS is based on foreign exchange earned, and only remittances received as amounts in lieu of services rendered qualify. Customer paid State/Central taxes collected by the service provider on behalf of government-such as VAT, luxury tax, and service tax-are not earnings of the service provider and must be excluded from the base used to compute duty credit entitlement.

EPCG export obligation closure permitted for SEZ supplies made before policy change without FCA realization; later supplies require FCA.
Closure and redemption of EPCG authorisations are permitted for DTA suppliers who made supplies to SEZ units prior to the policy change even if proceeds were not realised through the SEZ unit's Foreign Currency Account, because earlier HBP provisions and SEZ Rules did not require FCA receipt for discharge of export obligation; by contrast, the current FTP/HBP requires FCA realisation for counting such supplies toward export obligations for authorisations issued under FTP 2015-20 and for transactions or receipts occurring after the policy change.

Extension of TRQ application deadline for maize gives state trading enterprises additional time to submit import quota applications.
Extension of the time limit for submitting completed ANF-2M applications for allocation of the Tariff Rate Quota on maize is granted under paragraph 2.04 of the Foreign Trade Policy (2015-20), relaxing Para 2.62(I) of the Handbook of Procedure and directing State Trading Enterprises to file ANF-2M applications with prescribed documents and fees to the DGFT by the revised deadline under the allocation framework of Para 2.60.

Input-Output Norms amendment updates SION for upgraded ilmenite exports, revising export/import descriptions and entitlement formula.
Amendment revises SION A 1875 by specifying the export product as Upgraded Beneficiated Ilmenite (Synthetic Rutile) with declared Titanium Dioxide concentration and by listing permitted import items with specified quantities. Entitlement to imported inputs is to be calculated using the declared TiO2 concentrations of export and import items, applying a 13.6% wastage uplift on actual net TiO2 content; export and import documentation must state the specific TiO2 percentages.

Inclusion of Inland Container Depots as Port of Registration enables access to export promotion benefits.
Two Inland Container Depots at Hosur (Tamil Nadu) and Nattakkam Village (Kottayam Taluk and District) are added as Ports of Registration under the Handbook of Procedures for the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020, thereby enabling exporters using these ICDs to avail export promotion benefits available to Ports of Registration.

Export authorization for specified SCOMET categories to Iran requires IMWG clearance and concurrence of disarmament division.
Authorization for export of specified SCOMET items to Iran is conditional on compliance with Annex B to UN Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015). Categories 0, 3 (other than 3D), 4, 5 and 7 are covered. The licensing authority, whether DGFT or Department of Atomic Energy as applicable, must complete the IMWG or applicable internal process and then seek concurrence of the Disarmament and International Security Affairs Division as part of the authorization procedure.

Tariff rate quota allocation for sugar to USA increases export allocation under TRQ, subject to reporting and certification requirements.
An additional 1,146 MT of raw cane sugar (98 degree pol) is allocated from the non-levy (Free Sale) quota for export to the USA under the Tariff Rate Quota, increasing the total TRQ allocation for the referenced US fiscal year. Exports under this allocation are free but subject to the Nature of Restrictions and reporting requirements in the cited notification. Certificate of Origin for preferential sugar exports to the USA will be issued by the Additional Director General of Foreign Trade, Mumbai, and other prescribed certification requirements remain applicable until the end of the specified fiscal period.

Import quota allocation for rough marble expanded with revalidation, verification and penalties for misdeclaration.
Revalidation and amendment of import authorisations for rough marble and travertine blocks is allowed with a 25% increase in import quantity under Notification No.11; an annexure lists 472 beneficiaries and their additional quotas. Regional Authorities must verify applicants are not on the DEL list before revalidation. Beneficiaries must file monthly import returns by the 15th of the succeeding month. False or erroneous information, mis declaration or misrepresentation will lead to forfeiture of allocation, debarment from future allocations and penal action under the Foreign Trade (D&R) Act, 1992.

Weekly Open House schedule revised to subject-wise sessions; participants must submit pending issues by preceding Monday.
Weekly Open House will be held every Wednesday from 2.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. at the Zonal Addl. DGFT Chennai Conference Hall. Participation requires advance submission of complete details of pending issues and participant names/designations by the preceding Monday (requests after 5 p.m. that Monday are deferred). Sessions will be subject-wise: Chapter 3 and EDI on 1st/3rd/5th Wednesdays and Chapters 4, 5 and 7 on 2nd/4th Wednesdays. Submissions must be sent to the designated email address.

Execution of BG/LUT: manufacturer exporters must prove status to obtain reduced bank guarantee; others face full bond-backed security.
The Trade Notice directs that holders of Advance Authorization and EPCG Authorization claiming status as manufacturer exporter must independently prove that status to obtain the reduced security regime; demonstrable manufacturers qualify for a bond backed by reduced bank guarantee or cash security, whereas exporters unable to substantiate manufacturing must provide a bond backed by a bank guarantee covering the full excise-duty-savings exposure under the applicable customs instructions.

FPS benefits eligibility confirmed for Other Cast Articles of Iron and Steel under ITC HS grouping regardless of malleability.
All "Other Cast Articles of Iron or Steel" under the four digit ITC(HS) heading 7325 are eligible for FPS benefits irrespective of malleability; the entry at serial number 279 contains no malleability condition and therefore supports FPS claims for all cast iron and steel articles within that heading.

Revalidation of advance authorizations with bond waiver permitted for input replenishment subject to ANF 4D and fee.
Revalidation of Advance Authorizations with Bond waiver is allowed where exports were made first on a pro rata basis; Regional Authorities may revalidate the authorization in continuation for a further six months for replenishment of inputs, provided the applicant submits ANF 4D, pays the requisite fee, and has not previously obtained revalidation under Para 4.41(a) of the Handbook of Procedures 2015 20.

Certificate of Origin (Non Preferential) authorisation: new agencies added to FTP appendix to issue origin certificates.
Authorisation under the Foreign Trade Policy, 2015-2020 formally enlists specified agencies to issue Certificate of Origin (Non-Preferential). The Public Notice adds the named bodies to Appendix 2E, specifying their serial placements by state, and thereby authorises them to perform non preferential origin certification under the FTP administrative framework.

Pre-shipment inspection recognition: additional agencies authorised to issue PSICs subject to bank guarantee and membership conditions.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade includes additional entities as Pre-Shipment Inspection Agencies in Appendix 2G, authorising them to issue Pre Shipment Inspection Certificates subject to a fixed recognition period and compliance conditions. Recognised agencies must submit a prescribed bank guarantee within the specified deadline or face denotification, and must maintain updated membership certificates and office contact details. An annexure lists approved spectrometers and survey meters authorised for PSIC issuance for each agency.

CST reimbursement procedure updated, clarifying supplier registration, payment evidence and claim documentation for EOUs and technology park units.
Amendments revise procedural and documentary requirements for reimbursement of Central Sales Tax (CST) on supplies to EOUs and technology park units and modify ANF 7A claim form entries. Appendix 6H now requires supplier registration numbers with date of issue, refines supplier particulars under the CST Act, corrects an undertaking to individual liability, expands payer/payee descriptions to include DTA/EOU/SEZ/EHTP/STP suppliers and removes cheque/DD wording. ANF 7A realigns advance authorization column references and clarifies required contract, ARO or invalidation letter copies for supplies made to project authorities or under authorization schemes.

Quota allocation under Indo Sri Lanka FTA: pepper import licences issued with utilization, surrender and three year debarment rules.
Allocation of Black Pepper import quotas under the Indo Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement for 2016 17 assigns listed firms specified quantities; no allocations were made for Vanaspati Bakery, Shortening & Margarine and Desiccated Coconut due to absence of applications. Quota holders must obtain licences from Regional Authorities, submit utilization certificates to DGFT by the prescribed deadline, may surrender unutilized quota for re allocation, and face a three year debarment for failure to utilize or timely surrender quota.

Single application for EDI exports enables combining shipments from different EDI ports in one MEIS claim.
MEIS filing is simplified to allow a single application to include shipping bills from multiple EDI-enabled ports for the same licensing year (maximum 50 shipping bills), while Non EDI ports continue to require separate applications. Duty Credit Scrips (including splits) will be issued with a single port of registration; for EDI exports this may be any one of the exporting EDI ports, whereas for Non EDI exports the port of export is the port of registration. ANF 3A is revised and applicants must provide specified shipping bill details and statutory declarations.

Amendment to Foreign Trade Policy appendices adds a Special Economic Zone to jurisdictional listings under FTP.
The Director General of Foreign Trade, under paragraph 2.04 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020, amended Appendices and Aayat Niryat Forms to include the Indore Special Economic Zone in Appendix 1A and Appendix 6J, designating territorial jurisdiction over units situated in the SEZ and Export Oriented/SEZ units in the state and specifying the Development Commissioner office as the administrative contact.

Jurisdictional amendment expands CQCTD oversight to include regional offices, enabling local handling of quality complaints and trade disputes.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade amended Para 8.01 of the Hand Book of Procedures to include Regional Authority Raipur under the jurisdiction of Joint DGFT Bhopal and to establish a Committee on Quality Complaint & Trade Dispute (CQCTD) in the office of Joint DGFT Rajkot; a revised table sets out CQCTD locations, chairperson designations and the specific regional jurisdictions within the Western Zone.

Liability transfer allows IEC PAN changes on firm conversion while preserving prior liabilities and updating official records.
DGFT permits modification of IEC to replace the PAN when a change in constitution or legal form produces a new PAN, on the basis that liabilities of the transferor entity vest in the transferee entity by operation of law. Regional Authorities must ensure transfer of liabilities, update and circulate the modified IEC showing the new PAN, and accept applications digitally signed by authorised signatories or power of attorney holders.