The Central Revenues Control Laboratory (CRCL), Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) toward trade facilitation and improving the ease of doing business. This MoU collaboration aims to foster R&D, innovation, and scientific excellence at CRCL, bolstering trade facilitation and regulatory efficiency.

The MoU was signed by Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi, and Shri V. Suresh, Director, CRCL, in presence of Shri Surjit Bhujabal, Special Secretary & Member (Customs), CBIC.

This MoU marks a forward-looking initiative that reinforces CRCL’s commitment to scientific excellence, regulatory efficiency, and global trade competitiveness, positioning the country as a trusted hub for customs compliance and facilitation.

Key Strategic Benefits of the MoU:

• Enhanced Scientific Capabilities Leverages IIT Delhi’s advanced R&D ecosystem to modernize CRCL’s analytical infrastructure, including trace-level detection and high-end instrumentation.
• Capacity Building Joint training, workshops, and technical exchanges will enhance skills of customs chemists and officers in areas such as nanotechnology, materials science, and forensic chemistry.
• Innovation in Customs Testing Development of rapid testing protocols, automated screening methods, and custom analytical tools to expedite clearance processes.
• Support to ‘Make in India’ & Ease of Doing Business Scientific validation of Indian-manufactured goods and faster testing turnaround will enable quicker customs clearances and greater industry confidence.
• Trade Facilitation and Global Alignment Harmonisation of practices with World Customs Organization (WCO) standards enhances India’s global standing and ensures more predictable customs procedures.

Aims of the MoU:

• Conduct joint research on customs-related testing challenges and regulatory science.
• Facilitate technology transfer and deploy advanced analytical techniques in CRCL and regional labs.
• Co-develop standard operating procedures, reference materials, and analytical databases.
• Provide academic mentorship from IIT Delhi faculty to CRCL scientists.
• Establish Centres of Excellence in critical areas such as narcotics analysis, environmental monitoring, and quality assurance.

About Central Revenues Control Laboratory (CRCL)

The Central Revenues Control Laboratory (CRCL), serves as the apex scientific institution under Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, New Delhi, heading a network of 12 Revenue Laboratories across India. These laboratories provide critical support to Customs and GST field formations through the chemical analysis of trade goods, aiding in accurate duty assessment and enforcement of indirect tax laws.

All 12 laboratories are accredited as per ISO/IEC 17025:2017. Notably:

• 04 laboratories are also accredited for forensic analysis under the NDPS Act.
• 02 laboratories—CRCL (New Delhi) and Vadodara—are recognized as Food Laboratories under FSSAI and as Environmental Laboratories under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• CRCL staff operate 02 laboratories at Government Opium and Alkaloid Works (GOAW), Ghazipur and Neemuch, for quality control and testing of raw opium and opium alkaloids.

The laboratory network plays a vital role in trade facilitation and regulatory compliance through scientific excellence and standardized practices

Trade facilitation partnership accelerates customs testing modernization, capacity building, and faster clearances to improve ease of doing business. Memorandum of Understanding establishes a collaboration to modernize CRCL's analytical infrastructure, develop rapid and automated testing protocols, and implement trace level detection and high end instrumentation to expedite customs clearance. The agreement provides for joint research, technology transfer to regional labs, co development of standard operating procedures and reference materials, capacity building through joint training and mentorship, and the creation of Centres of Excellence in areas including narcotics analysis, environmental monitoring, and quality assurance to align practices with international customs standards.