Minimum export price removal on onions permits exports without a price-floor requirement for specified onion items.
The amendment removes the prior requirement that exports of specified onion items be permitted only on Letter of Credit subject to a Minimum Export Price, substituting that those onion varieties may be exported without any MEP, thereby eliminating the price-floor export restriction.

Duty free import for diamond certification: HRD Diamond Institute permitted to import for grading and re export under FTP conditions.
M/s HRD Diamond Institute Private Limited is inserted in Para 4.42 of FTP 2015-20 as an authorized agency permitted to import diamonds duty free for certification/grading and subsequent re-export, under the authority of Section 5 of the FTDR Act and Para 1.02 of FTP, and subject to paragraph 4.75 of the Handbook of Procedures 2015-20 and other applicable law.

Import policy change for reconditioned aircraft parts removes DGCA recommendation requirement and allows free import.
Imports of parts of goods of headings 8801 and 8802, including propellers, rotors, undercarriages and other aircraft parts, are free for import and expressly include reconditioned and second hand aircraft parts. The amendment removes the prior procedural requirement that a recommendation from the aviation safety regulator be obtained for licence free import, thereby allowing reconditioned/second hand parts to be imported freely under the Handbook of Procedures without that prior recommendation.

Minimum Export Price for onions imposed; exports permitted only against Letter of Credit subject to revised MEP and conditions.
Export of onions at the ITC (HS) item descriptions in Serial Numbers 51 and 52 of Chapter 7, Schedule 2 is permitted only on Letter of Credit and is subject to a Minimum Export Price of US$ 850 F.O.B. per metric ton until further orders.

Import prohibition on human embryo now restricted to research under health research guidelines.
Import regulation amended to prohibit the import of Human Embryo under Exim Code 0511 99 99, replacing prior allowance subject to a No Objection Certificate; imports are now "Prohibited" except for research purposes compliant with applicable health research guidelines.

Import license exemption for aircraft clarified; permitted importers defined and list updated under foreign trade policy.
The amendment revises the import-policy exemption for aircraft and helicopters under Chapter 88 of the ITC (HS), Schedule-1 so that specified entities may import new or used aircraft and helicopters without obtaining an import licence, subject to the condition that importation and use accord with the operator's permission; it updates and narrows the list of exempted organisations eligible for licence-free importation.

Export restriction: Rice seed quality moved to restricted category, export now requires licensing, treatment declaration and labeling.
Amendment to the ITC(HS) Chapter 10 reclassifies rice export entries: Non-Basmati rice remains free for export but must be from privately held stocks and exported via Customs EDI ports or designated non-EDI land stations with prior DGFT quantity registration; seed-quality rice is moved to restricted status and may be exported only under license with presentation of a dealer-in-seeds license, a declaration of chemical treatment and unfitness for human consumption, and packet labeling indicating treatment; rice in husk other than seed quality is likewise restricted and exportible only under license.

Tariff classification amendment permits export of 1-Phenyl-2-Propanone subject to narcotics NOC under Foreign Trade Policy.
Amendment substitutes the Tariff Item HS Code for 1-Phenyl-2-Propanone in Schedule 2 of the ITC (HS) Classification, retains an export policy of Free and prescribes a pre-export compliance requirement of a no-objection certificate from the narcotics regulatory authority as the operative restriction.

Import restriction: apples permitted entry only via Nhava Sheva port under amended Exim code, effective immediately.
Imports of apples under Exim code 0808 10 00 are now permitted only when landed through Nhava Sheva port, converting the prior free import classification into a port-specific admission requirement and centralising import processing for that commodity at the designated port.

Sugar export regulation: prior quantity registration removed, with quota protocols and certification conditions retained for specific markets.
The notification removes the requirement for prior registration of sugar export quantities with DGFT while retaining quota procedures for specified markets: exporters must supply export details and obtain Certificates of Origin where necessary, and exports remain subject to notified quantitative ceilings. Organic sugar exports are permitted without quantity limits provided the sugar is duly certified as organic. Pharmaceutical grade and listed speciality sugars are exempted from the registration requirement. Export Licensing Note 1 is deleted and Note 2 amended accordingly.

Import restriction on hazardous dyes requires accredited pre shipment certification or government testing; certain origin countries exempted.
Import of textiles is permitted only if free of hazardous dyes and accompanied by a pre-shipment certificate from an accredited textile testing laboratory; absent such certificate, clearance follows sample testing and certification by the Textiles Committee or prescribed Central Silk Board laboratories, with Customs-directed sampling focused on consignments from countries without prohibitions and limited-period validity for test reports. Imports from countries listed in Appendix-2X where Azo dyes are banned are exempt from Azo-dye testing.

Minimum export price for onions increased, exports permitted only against Letter of Credit and subject to higher FOB threshold.
Export of onion for the item description at Serial Number 51 & 52 of Chapter 7 of Schedule 2 of ITC (HS) classification shall be permitted only on Letter of Credit (LC) subject to a Minimum Export Price (MEP) of US$ 850 F.O.B per Metric Ton till further orders.

Export policy of edible oils amended: rice bran oil exempted in bulk, branded packs allowed with Minimum Export Price.
Exports of edible oils are relaxed through specified exemptions: castor oil; coconut oil from EDI ports and border LCS; deemed exports from DTA to 100% EOUs; DTA supply to SEZs for processed food manufacture subject to value addition; edible oils from minor forest produce; APEDA certified organic edible oils; and rice bran oil in bulk. Edible oils outside these exemptions may be exported in branded consumer packs of up to 5 Kgs subject to a Minimum Export Price.

Port equivalence for sawn timber exports permits Nepal-bound shipments from Raxaul where logs imported via Kolkata under grouped ports.
Amendment conditions sawn timber exports on the same firm acting as importer and exporter and on import and export being effected from designated ports, with specified port-equivalences: Mangalore/Tuticorin grouped, Kandla/Mumbai/Mundra/Nhava Sheva grouped, and Kolkata port treated as equivalent to the LCS of Raxaul for exports to Nepal; applicable only where sawn timber is produced exclusively from imported wood logs.

Import controls for controlled substances require a No Objection Certificate before import of listed precursor chemicals.
Import of the enumerated precursor and controlled chemical substances in Chapters 28 and 29 of the ITC (HS), 2012 is permitted only upon obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the designated narcotics authority; entries are categorized as Free or Restricted, and specific items or forms (including certain salts, preparations, and oils above composition thresholds) require an NOC as a condition of import under the NDPS Act framework.

Prohibition on trade with ISIL and affiliated groups bans oil, refinery-related goods and cultural items under export policy.
The Foreign Trade Policy heading after paragraph 2.15 is revised and paragraph 2.16A is inserted to prohibit trade with ISIL, Al Nusrah Front and entities associated with Al Qaida. Pursuant to the FT(D&R) Act and FTP provisions and in compliance with UNSC Resolution 2199, trade in oil and refined oil products, modular refineries and related materials, and items of cultural, scientific and religious importance with those groups and associated entities is prohibited.

Minimum Export Price requirement for onion exports now enforced with Letter of Credit obligation for specified ITC(HS) items.
The Department of Commerce amended the Foreign Trade Policy to require that export of onions at Serial Numbers 51 & 52 of Chapter 7 of Schedule 2 of the ITC (HS) classification be permitted only on Letter of Credit and be subject to a Minimum Export Price (MEP) at a specified F.O.B. rate per metric ton, to operate until further orders; the notification records that exports of the described varieties will be subject to that MEP.

Prohibition on import of milk and milk products from China extended for an additional year or until further orders.
Prohibition on import of milk and milk products from China, including chocolates, candies, confectionery and food preparations with milk solids, is extended by amendment to the import schedule under the Foreign Trade Policy for an additional year or until further orders, maintaining a continued ban on specified milk-based imports from China and requiring importer compliance with the amended import policy.

Special Notified Zone permissions allow import, auction and re export of rough diamonds under customs supervision per specified procedures.
Permission is granted for import, auction/sale and re export of rough diamonds in a Special Notified Zone administered by the SNZ operator under customs supervision, applicable to authorised entities and permitting imports on consignment or outright basis; procedures for import, auction/sale and re export of unsold rough diamonds are to be specified by the customs authority.

Import CIF threshold for areca nut increased, raising minimum permissible import price for duty free classification.
The notification revises the CIF value requirement for areca nut item descriptions (whole, split, ground, other) under specified ITC (HS) Exim Codes in Chapter 8 of ITC (HS) 2012 Schedule 1 (Import Policy), providing that these entries are classified as Free only if the CIF value meets or exceeds the newly prescribed minimum price, thereby raising the threshold that governs duty free importation for those tariff lines.