Free import policy extended for Urad and Tur under ITC(HS) Schedule 1 through 31 March 2025.
The Central Government amends Schedule 1 import policy entries to extend the Free import status for Urad [ITC(HS) 0713 3110] and Tur/Pigeon Peas [ITC(HS) 0713 60 00] under ITC(HS) 2022, revising the prior expiry to 31.03.2025 and preserving the Free import condition without adding licensing or quantitative restrictions.

Export certification requirement: food supplements with botanicals to EU/UK must carry official lab-backed certificates from designated authorities.
Export of food supplements containing botanicals to the EU and UK must be accompanied by an official certificate issued by designated competent authorities. Certificates will be issued either by the Export Inspection Council/Export Inspection Agencies based on satisfactory analytical test reports from EIC-approved laboratories, or by SHEFEXIL based on satisfactory analytical test reports from NABL-accredited laboratories approved for ETO testing, as required under the amended ITC(HS) Export Policy.

Certificate of Inspection required for rice exports to EU states and specified European countries; others temporarily exempt.
Amendment to Schedule-2, Chapter 10 of the ITC(HS) Export Policy requires a Certificate of Inspection from the Export Inspection Council or an Export Inspection Agency for exports of Basmati and Non Basmati rice to EU member states and the specified European countries United Kingdom, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Exports to other European countries are exempt from the Certificate of Inspection requirement for a period of six months from the date of the notification; the change amends Notification No. 09/2023 for the relevant HS tariff items.

Export prohibition on De Oiled Rice Bran extended, maintaining export controls through a revised foreign trade policy amendment.
The Foreign Trade Policy amendment continues a export prohibition on De Oiled Rice Bran under the applicable HS classifications by modifying Chapter 23 of Schedule 2 of the ITC HS export policy; a subsequent substitution further revised the operative text and extended the administrative export restriction until the revised date specified in that substitution.

Import policy change: Yellow peas imports are free until 31 March with mandatory import monitoring registration.
Imports of Yellow Peas under ITC(HS) Code 07131010 are declared Free until 31 March 2024, with the Minimum Import Price and Kolkata port restriction suspended for that period. Consignments cleared after 31 March 2024 will not qualify for this liberalisation. All imports during the liberalised period require compulsory registration under the Import Monitoring System, and procedures for prior registration will be notified separately.

Onion export prohibition imposed; exports restricted until end March with limited transitional consignments and govt to govt permissions.
Export policy for onions (HS 0703 10 19) is amended from Free to Prohibited until 31 March 2024, effective 8 December 2023, with Paragraph 1.05 transitional arrangements not applicable. Limited consignments already in the export chain are allowed only if loading commenced before the notification, or shipping bills and vessel berthing/anchoring with port confirmation existed prior, or consignments were registered with Customs/custodian systems with verifiable date/time stamping; such exports are permitted up to 5 January 2024. Government to Government requests may also justify export authorization.

Export permission for Non-basmati White Rice to specified African countries via NCEL authorized under Foreign Trade Policy.
Authorization is granted for export of Non-basmati White Rice under HS/ITC HS Code 10063090 to Comoros, Madagascar, Equatorial Guinea, Egypt and Kenya, subject to routing through a designated cooperative export agency and in accordance with the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act and the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023 and related notifications.

Export exemption for non basmati white rice allows charitable shipment as donation to Nepal earthquake victims under revised FTP.
A one time exemption to the prohibition on exports of non basmati white rice is granted to the Indian Rice Exporters Federation to export a specified consignment, classified under the relevant Harmonized System code, as a donation to the National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Authority of the Government of Nepal for earthquake victims; all other exports under the same classification remain prohibited.

Export Authorization through NCEL permitted for specified food commodities, with prior trade notices rescinded and extensions noted.
The Notification authorises export of specified food commodities through National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), listing permitted commodities and country-specific quantity allocations and timeframes (including extensions where recorded). It is issued under the Foreign Trade Act and Policy and rescinds Trade Notice No. 08/2023, Trade Notice No. 17/2023 and Trade Notice No. 18/2023, making NCEL the authorized channel for the listed exports.

Minimum Export Price on onion exports imposed until end of year; consignments at customs and prior duty-paid shipments exempt.
A Minimum Export Price MEP is imposed on onion exports while keeping the export classification as Free; the measure is effective immediately and supersedes the prior notification. Consignments handed to or entered into Customs and registered before 29 October 2023 may be exported without the MEP (exportable up to 30 November 2023). Consignments for which export duty was paid before this Notification are also exempt from the MEP, and such duty is non-refundable.

Import policy for gold now permits nominated agencies and qualified jewellers to import via IIBX with TRQ delivery.
Importation of unwrought gold under HS code 71081200 is permitted through nominated agencies (RBI/DGFT) and Qualified Jewellers via IIBX; Gold Dore may be imported by refineries against an import licence with Actual User condition. Valid India-UAE TRQ holders notified by IFSCA can import through IIBX against their TRQ and obtain physical delivery into IFSCA-registered vaults in SEZs under IFSCA guidelines.

Export prohibition exception: one-time permission for donation of non-basmati white rice to Nepal granted to Patanjali.
Export of Non-basmati white rice under HS Code 1006 30 90 is designated as prohibited; however, a one-time exemption is granted to Patanjali Ayurved Limited to export specified non-basmati white rice as a donation to Nepal for earthquake victims, issued under the authority of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992 and applicable Foreign Trade Policy provisions and formalized by DGFT notification.

Minimum Export Price imposed on onion exports requiring a FOB floor price for shipments during the control period.
A Minimum Export Price has been imposed on exports of onions (excluding Bangalore Rose and Krishnapuram varieties and processed forms), keeping the export classification as 'Free' but subject to a specified FOB floor per metric ton until the stated end-date. The measure is effective from the day after notification and includes exemptions for consignments registered with Customs prior to notification and for consignments where export duty was paid before the notification, with such duty non refundable.

Halal certification extension: accreditation and export unit registration deadlines extended to allow additional compliance time.
The Central Government has extended the time period for accreditation of Halal Certification Bodies and for registration of export units for meat and meat products by an additional six months, postponing previously prescribed deadlines under the Foreign Trade Policy to allow further time for compliance with accreditation and registration requirements.

Vegetable oil import regulation aligned to food safety standards, with coconut/copra oil imports limited to state trading enterprises.
The amendment to Policy Condition 1 of Chapter 15 of ITC (HS), 2022 provides that Vegetable Oils, Refined Vegetable Oils and Solvent Extracted Oils listed in and conforming to the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011 are freely importable except where otherwise stated, while import of coconut/copra oil remains permitted only through State Trading Enterprises.

Import prohibition of human embryos and human gametes under ART (Regulation) Act and Surrogacy (Regulation) Act now implemented.
Amendment imposes a prohibition on the importation of human embryos and human gametes under the import classification for other products in Chapter 05 of the ITC(HS), explicitly changing the policy condition for the affected item to 'Prohibited' in accordance with the ART (Regulation) Act and the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act.

Import authorization exemptions for IT hardware allow SEZ manufactured goods into domestic market and government defence procurements without licence.
Amendments exempt IT hardware manufactured in Special Economic Zones from requiring an Import Authorisation when imported into the Domestic Tariff Area on payment of applicable duties, exclude limited SEZ activities from qualifying as manufacturing for this purpose, and exempt private entities importing for government defence or security procurements from an Import Authorisation provided a valid End User Certificate is produced; Policy Condition 4(iv) is revised to allow specified R&D, testing and repair related imports and re imports on a self certification basis.

Export permission for Non-Basmati White Rice to specified countries granted through designated exporter under foreign trade policy.
Export permission is granted for Non-Basmati White Rice (HS code 1006 30 90) to Nepal, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Republic of Guinea, Malaysia, Philippines and Seychelles through National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), under powers of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992 and provisions of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023, with country-wise quantities allocated as listed in the notification.

Export restriction on sugar extended beyond current date; EU and USA quota exports allowed under prescribed procedure.
Restriction on export of Raw, White, Refined and Organic sugar under specified HS classifications is extended beyond the prior cutoff date until further orders under the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act and Foreign Trade Policy. Exports to the European Union and United States under CXL and TRQ quota mechanisms remain permitted provided the prescribed Public Notice procedures are followed; all other conditions of the antecedent notification continue to apply.

Import policy amendment for silver permits qualified jewellers to import via IIBX alongside existing nominated agencies.
Amendment expands authorized importers for specified silver HS entries to include qualified jewellers notified by the International Financial Services Centres Authority, permitting imports through the India International Bullion Exchange alongside existing nominated agencies; refinery imports of silver dore against a license with the existing AU condition remain permitted.