Minimum export price imposed on onion exports; exports allowed only under Letter of Credit until revised deadline.
Export of all varieties of onions is authorised only on Letter of Credit and is subject to a Minimum Export Price of US$ 850 F.O.B. per metric ton; the prior notification's cut off date has been amended to remain in effect till 20.01.2018.

Minimum import price on pepper imposed; exemptions for oleoresin imports under AAS subject to testing and reporting conditions.
Imports of pepper under EXIM Codes 0904 11 and 0904 12 00 are subject to a Minimum Import Price (MIP) on a CIF basis per kilogram. Imports under the Advance Authorisation Scheme for oleoresin extraction by manufacturer exporters are exempt from the MIP only if light black pepper meets a minimum piperine content; Customs will sample and the Spices Board Quality Evaluation Labs will test piperine by ISO 5564 and assess oleoresin yield by ISO 1108; manufacturer exporters must provide monthly import, production, re export, stock and spent material usage details to the Spices Board.

Foreign Trade Policy update: revised FTP 2015-20 notified, aligning incentives with GST, expanding trade facilitation and export schemes.
The Central Government notifies the revised Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020 effective 05.12.2017 under Section 5 of the FT(D&R) Act. It updates export incentive frameworks (MEIS/SEIS) granting transferable Duty Credit Scrips, revises duty-exemption/remission schemes (Advance Authorisation, DFIA, EPCG) including a Self Ratification route and sectoral rules for gems and jewellery, and prescribes actual user, value addition and SION-based input accounting. The Policy expands digital trade facilitation (e IEC, e BRC, single window, AEO), strengthens RMS/audit and enforcement mechanisms, and maintains prohibitions/restrictions and transitional arrangements.

Export relaxation for Red Sanders wood allows Karnataka to export seized logs subject to DGFT authorization and state allocation.
Relaxation permits export of specified quantity of Red Sanders wood in log form from confiscated/seized stock held by Karnataka Police and Forest Departments. Government of Karnataka may export directly or through authorized entities; such entities must obtain export authorization from the DGFT Regional Authority upon production of a quantity allocation letter from the State Government. The State must finalize modalities, allocate quantities to entities, and complete export within the notification's prescribed timeline.

Minimum export price requirement for onions mandates exports on letter of credit, restricting shipments below the prescribed price.
Exports of onions enumerated in Chapter 7 of Schedule 2 of the ITC (HS) classification are permitted only against a Letter of Credit (LC) and subject to a prescribed Minimum Export Price (MEP) expressed on an FOB per metric ton basis; the amendment imposes this LC-plus-MEP condition with immediate effect for a defined validity period, and subsequent notifications have adjusted the MEP level and temporal scope.

Export liberalisation of pulses: all varieties made freely exportable, with DGFT registration required for non-EDI land exports.
The Government amends the ITC(HS) schedule to lift export prohibitions and make all varieties of pulses, including organic pulses, "Free" for export until further orders, superseding earlier notifications. Exports are to be made through Custom EDI ports; exports via non-EDI Land Custom Stations to specified borders are allowed only upon prior registration of quantity with DGFT through designated Regional Authorities such as Kolkata and Patna.

Export controls for lanolin: shipments to European Union require CAPEXIL clearance and joint health certificate before dispatch.
Lanolin (HS 1505 00 90) is classified as freely exportable but exports to the European Union require: a consignment-wise Shipment Clearance Certificate issued by CAPEXIL with exporter, plant and shipment details; and a consignment-wise Health Certificate issued jointly by CAPEXIL and the Regional Animal Quarantine Officer detailing HS code, packaging, origin, destination, vessel and health requirements. The amendment to Schedule 2 of the ITC (HS) Classification is effective immediately under the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992.

Import of new vehicles permitted through added port Krishnapatnam, expanding authorised customs ports list under Foreign Trade Policy.
Addition of Krishnapatnam port to the authorised entry points for the import of new vehicles amends Import Policy Condition 2(II)(d) of Chapter 87 of the ITC(HS) 2017, Schedule 1 (Import Policy), revising the list of Customs Ports through which new vehicles may be imported to include Krishnapatnam among permitted seaports.

Sanctions on DPRK restrict direct and indirect imports and exports of military, WMD related and sectoral commodities.
The amendment substitutes Paragraph 2.17 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020 to impose a prohibition on direct or indirect import and export to and from DPRK: banning military hardware, arms and related materiel, items and technologies identified in UN and IAEA documents that could aid nuclear or missile programmes, luxury goods, and other items the Central Government may determine; and imposing sectoral prohibitions on specified fuels, petroleum, minerals, metals, seafood, textiles and certain vessels and aircraft subject to UN specified exemptions and procedures.

Import of gold restrictions: Four and Five Star Export Houses limited to actual user input only for manufacture and export.
Amendment imposes an actual user condition on gold imports by Four Star and Five Star Export Houses with Nominated Agency Certificates, permitting import of gold only as input for manufacture and export by the certificate holder during the remaining validity of the certificate, and prohibits issuance or renewal of Nominated Agency Certificates for Four Star and Five Star Export House status holders.

Customs duty and cess exemptions expanded for import authorisations, with clarified EPCG capital goods rules and EOU sourcing benefits.
Amendments expand exemptions for Advance Authorisation, EPCG and EOU/EHTP/STP/BTP schemes to exclude Basic Customs Duty, Additional Customs Duty, Education Cess, anti dumping, countervailing, safeguard and transition product specific safeguard duties where applicable, and to exempt the whole of the Integrated Tax and Compensation Cess as notified by the Department of Revenue; EPCG capital goods imports at zero customs duty are defined and linked to an export obligation, indigenous sourcing confers deemed export benefits, and EOUs may import or procure goods including second hand capital goods without payment of customs duty and specified cess subject to notifications and GST refund/payment mechanisms.

Export certification for spices: Spices Board India designated to issue EU health certificates with prompt processing required.
Notification inserts a new tariff entry in Chapter 9 of the ITC(HS) Classification making all spices under that Chapter exportable on a free basis and designates the Spices Board India as the competent authority to issue Health Certificates for export to EU countries; the Board must issue export certification promptly upon receipt of samples. Supplementary notes define "spice," permit admixtures that retain essential character, and make future non-policy classification amendments applicable to exports.

Health certificate requirement: Guar gum exports to EU must be accompanied by an authorised PCP analytical certificate.
Exports of refined, split, treated and pulverized guar gum to the European Union for human or animal consumption must be accompanied by a Health Certificate from the authorised representative of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and an original analytical report certifying compliance with Penta Chlorophenol testing; an Export Inspection Agency laboratory in Chennai is authorised in addition to the previously authorised laboratory to issue such analytical reports.

Import policy amendment for urea permits two public-sector producers limited temporary import authorisation for a three-month period.
Amendment revises import-policy conditions for urea (ITC (HS) 3102 10 00): STE status continues with Industrial/Technical Urea freely importable; designated STEs STC, MMTC and Indian Potash Limited now operate subject to paragraph 2.20 of the Foreign Trade Policy; Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers and National Fertilizers Limited are permitted to import urea only for a three-month period from the notification date.

Genetically modified organism controls tightened, expanding export controls on genetic elements and related equipment under SCOMET amendments.
Amendment redefines SCOMET Category 2H as "Genetic Elements and Genetically modified Organisms", substituting 2H001 to control organisms or genetic elements containing genes specific to listed pathogens or toxins, or elements that endow or enhance pathogenicity, with technical notes on genetically modified organisms, genetic elements, recoverable nucleic acids and the definition of endow or enhance pathogenicity. It also expands the SCOMET glossary definition of "Military use" and implements multiple substitutions and insertions across SCOMET entries for equipment and components in chemical, biological, metallurgical, nuclear and electronics categories.

Export liberalisation of pulses: export permitted subject to contract registration with APEDA and port registration conditions.
Toor dal, Moong and Urad are made free for export until further orders, subject to prior registration of contracts with APEDA; exports must be through Custom EDI ports, while non-EDI Land Custom Stations on Indo-Bangladesh and Indo-Nepal borders may be used provided quantities are registered with DGFT regional authorities designated for that purpose.

Tariff Rate Quota for raw sugar permits specified imports at concessional customs duty subject to licensing and compliance.
An amendment establishes a Tariff Rate Quota for raw sugar under Exim Code 170114 allowing a specified tranche of imports at concessional customs duty through designated southern ports, subject to application by millers/refiners with declared refining capacity, time bound allocation by an empowered committee, licence issuance by Regional Authorities, furnishing of irrevocable letters of credit, mandatory conversion to refined sugar under an actual user condition, weekly arrival reporting, surrender and penalty rules for unutilised quota, and DGFT's reservation of allocation modification rights.

Toy import standards now require BIS certification and manufacturer conformance backed by NABL-accredited laboratory testing.
Import of toys under the specified EXIM codes is permitted freely when accompanied by certificates attesting conformity to Bureau of Indian Standards (IS 9873 Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9 and IS 15644) and a manufacturer's Certificate of Conformance showing representative samples were tested by an independent laboratory accredited by NABL, with the certificate linking the consignment to its period of manufacture.

Import restriction on gold and silver: imports from South Korea of specified jewellery and coins now restricted.
Policy Condition No. 4 inserts a restriction in Chapter 71 of ITC(HS) 2017, Schedule I, making imports of specified jewellery, wares, other precious metal articles and coins from South Korea restricted and disallowing the FTP facilitation previously available under the relevant FTP paragraph for these items.

Restriction on gold and silver trade added to Foreign Trade Policy, bringing such imports and exports under regulatory controls.
A Principle of Restriction concerning the importation and exportation of gold and silver is added as sub paragraph (i) to Para 2.07 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020, invoking powers under Section 3 of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992 and relevant policy paragraphs, thereby subjecting gold and silver trade to the Policy's restriction regime.