Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Commerce & Industry

14-May-2012 17:12 IST

Import of hazardous waste or substances containing or contaminated with such hazardous wastes as specified in Schedule 8 of Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Amendment Rules, 1989, import of beef in any form and import of products containing beef in any form is prohibited.  Import restrictions also apply, inter alia, on food items, cement, bottled drinking water, alcoholic beverages, livestock and livestock products, metallic waste and scrap, generator sets, cigarettes and tobacco products.  Such items can only be imported after compliance with various mandatory requirements.

The total volume of trade between the two countries is as below:-

(in US$ million)

Source: DGCI&S

The most traded sectors are Textiles, Machinery and Instruments, Transport Equipment, Pharmaceuticals, Fruits and Vegetable, Jute, Metalifers ores & Metal scrap, Electronic Goods, Natural Rubber etc.

India has already reduced its sensitive list for Bangladesh from 480 to 25 items under South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) Agreement and has given zero basic custom duty on all the items removed vide notification no. 99/2011-Customs dated 9.11.2011.  Priority sectors identified are Cotton, Jute, Textile products, Machinery and Instruments, Transport equipment, Pharmaceuticals, Fruits and Vegetables and others.

This information was given by Shri Jyotiradiya M. Scindia,  Minister of State for Commerce & Industry   in written reply to a question in  Lok    Sabha today.

DS/GK

Import prohibitions and mandatory compliance requirements restrict hazardous waste and certain consumer and industrial imports, with tariff liberalisation for priority sectors. Import restrictions prohibit hazardous waste and substances contaminated with such waste and prohibit import of beef and products containing beef; various food items, cement, bottled water, alcoholic beverages, livestock and livestock products, metallic waste and scrap, generator sets, cigarettes and tobacco products are subject to mandatory compliance requirements prior to import. India narrowed its SAFTA sensitive list substantially and granted zero basic customs duty on items removed from that list, targeting priority sectors such as cotton, jute, textiles, machinery, transport equipment and pharmaceuticals.