In view of COVID-19 pandemic situation, the Government extended relief to gems and jewellery sector by relaxing the requirement of re-import of cut and polished diamonds, which have been sent abroad for certification and grading, by three months.

CBIC said that this extended time period would be available to exporters to bring back cut and polished diamonds after due certification and grading by specified laboratories abroad. This extension shall apply to all cut and polished diamonds that should have been re-imported between 1st Feb. 2020 to 31st July 2020 but which could not be brought back due to disruption on account of COVID-19 pandemic situation.

CBIC said that this relief was announced by suitably amending the Notification No. 09/2012-Customs dated 9th March 2012. The re-import in the extended period would be without payment of Basic Customs Duty (BCD) and IGST. This facility is available to exporters with average annual export turnover of ₹ 5 crore for the last three years.

It may be noted that this relief is given to those exporters whose graded cut and polished diamonds were stuck abroad as the period of three months, ordinarily allowed for re-import had expired due to pandemic. A number of such consignments were also awaiting clearance with Customs.

Re-import extension for graded diamonds permits duty-free return after foreign certification during pandemic disruptions, easing exporters' compliance. A three-month extension allows re-import of cut and polished diamonds sent abroad for certification and grading that could not be returned between 1 February 2020 and 31 July 2020 due to COVID-19. Re-import in the extended period is permitted without payment of Basic Customs Duty and IGST by exporters meeting the prescribed average export turnover eligibility; the extension is effected by amendment to Notification No. 09/2012 Customs to aid clearance of consignments stranded abroad.