Free import of reference fuels for R&D allows registered automobile industries to import non domestic fuels for testing.
Automobile industries holding R&D registration are permitted duty-free import of reference fuels (petrol and diesel not manufactured in India) solely for use in R&D and emission testing, subject to an annual quantity limit and the condition that such imports be used exclusively for those testing and research purposes.

Foreign Trade Policy notification brings policy into force under central government's statutory authority for trade regulation nationwide
The Central Government notifies the Foreign Trade Policy, 2009-2014 as contained in the Annexure and brings it into force with effect from 27th August, 2009 under powers conferred by the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992 read with the Policy's framing provision; the notification is issued by the Department of Commerce through the Director General of Foreign Trade and stated to be in the public interest.

Government permission required for foreign-led site visits to entities handling SCOMET, with licence-style scrutiny and treaty exceptions.
Prior permission of the Central Government is mandatory for Indian companies, subsidiaries and other business entities dealing in Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies (SCOMET) before entering any arrangement requiring site visits, on-site verification or access to records/documentation by foreign governments or foreign third parties; such permission requests shall be considered in the same manner as export/import licence applications, subject to the terms of any applicable bilateral agreement or multilateral treaty.

Import licensing for marble now subject to specified policy circular conditions, amending the chapter note under the foreign trade policy.
Amendment revises Import Licensing Note No. (2) at the end of Chapter 25 of ITC (HS) Schedule I to provide that import of marble is subject to the conditions laid down in the specified Policy Circulars listed in the notification, issued under section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act read with paragraph 2.1 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2004-09.

EDI port requirement restricts nil-duty imports of refined or white sugar to authorized electronic data interchange locations.
Import of refined or white sugar (Code No.17019100 or 17019990) allowed at a nil rate of customs duty under Notification No.84/2009 Cus shall be permitted only through Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) ports/locations, by amendment to Schedule I of the ITC (HS) Classification of Export and Import Items, 2004 09.

Board of Trade composition revised: Minister to chair, nominated members must include trade policy experts and meet quarterly.
The amendment specifies Board of Trade governance: the Commerce & Industry Minister shall chair the Board; the Government will nominate a capped membership including a mandated minimum of trade policy experts; Chairmen of recognized Export Promotion Councils and the President or Secretary General of National Chambers of Commerce serve as ex officio members; and the Board must meet at least once every quarter.

Export exemption for yellow split peas to Nepal for UN World Food Programme allows designated Indian exporters to ship consignments.
An amendment to the Foreign Trade Policy exempts a specified export of Yellow Split Peas to Nepal for the United Nations World Food Programme from the prohibition on pulse exports, designating particular Indian exporters and allocating consignments, effective immediately under powers conferred by the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act and FTP provisions.

Rescission of export restriction: amendment imposing designated-agency wheat export requirement has been withdrawn with immediate effect.
The Central Government rescinded a prior notification with immediate effect, withdrawing the amendment that had regulated export of wheat through designated public trading agencies, thereby restoring the pre-amendment regulatory position under the Foreign Trade Policy.

Export quota for wheat products limited; exports allowed only via Customs EDI ports and monitored fortnightly.
Amendment substitutes the entry for ITC (HS) code 1101 to permit export of wheat flour (Maida), samolina (Rava/Sirgi), wholemeal atta and resultant atta as 'Free' subject to a limit of 6,50,000 tons from 3rd July, 2009 to 31st March, 2013, and conditions exports shall be allowed only from Customs EDI Ports.

Wheat export exception: authorised exports via designated PSUs without subsidies, limited to Customs EDI ports and fortnightly monitoring.
The amendment creates a wheat export exception permitting export of specified HS-coded wheat through designated public sector undertakings only, with no export subsidy and shipments limited to Customs EDI Ports; it defines 'durum wheat' and mandates fortnightly monitoring and reporting by Customs and DGCI&S to the Department of Commerce/DGFT and the Department of Food & Public Distribution, while other provisions of the principal notification remain operative.

Export allocation amended: exports reallocated to South Africa through PEC, replacing prior Nigeria allocation under the foreign trade policy.
The Central Government immediately amends the earlier notification by deleting the prior export allocation and substituting a new entry designating South Africa as the recipient, with exports to be made through the Public Sector Undertaking PEC; all other provisions of the earlier notification remain unchanged.

Import prohibition for toys allowed only with certificates proving conformity to recognised safety standards and accredited testing laboratories.
Imports of toys under specified ITC codes are prohibited except where consignments are accompanied by a certificate showing conformity to ASTM F963, ISO 8124 (I-III), IS 9873 (I-III) or EN 71, and by a manufacturer's Certificate of Conformance confirming representative samples were tested by an independent laboratory accredited under ILAC, MRA, with the certificate linking the toys to their period of manufacture.

Prohibition on import of mobile handsets without valid IMEI, effective immediately under amended ITC (HS) schedule.
Import of mobile handsets classified under EXIM code 8517 is prohibited if the device lacks an IMEI number or if the IMEI consists solely of zeroes; this amendment to Schedule I of the ITC (HS) Classification is effective immediately and issued in the public interest.

Import prohibition on milk products from China extended for an additional six-month period under foreign trade regulatory powers.
The Central Government, invoking powers under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act and paragraph 2.1 of the Foreign Trade Policy, extends the prohibition on import of milk and milk products from China-including chocolates, chocolate products, candies, confectionery and food preparations with milk or milk solids-by notification for a further six-month period from 24 June 2009 and until further orders, issued in the public interest.

Pre-shipment quality certification required for groundnut and sesame seed exports to Russian Federation to permit shipment.
Amendment requires pre-shipment quality certification for exports of groundnuts (including seed-quality variants) and sesame seeds to the Russian Federation, issued by designated laboratories or other agencies as notified; groundnuts to the EU continue to require APEDA contract registration and controlled aflatoxin certificates. The amendment substitutes entries in Notification No. 57 (RE-2007)/2004-09 and takes immediate effect, issued in the public interest under powers of the Foreign Trade Act and Foreign Trade Policy, 2004-2009.

Pre-shipment quality certification: rice exports to Russian Federation now require certification from specified laboratories or notified agencies.
The amendment requires that exports of rice to the Russian Federation be permitted only upon presentation of pre-shipment quality certification issued by one of the following: Insecticide Residue Testing Laboratory; Geo-Chem Laboratories Pvt. Ltd.; Reliable Analytical Laboratory; Arbro Pharmaceuticals Ltd.; Shri Ram Institute for Industrial Research (Delhi); Shri Ram Institute for Industrial Research (Bangalore); Delhi Test House; Vimta Labs; or any other agency that may be notified from time to time.

Import of tobacco products now subject to packaging and labelling rules, making health ministry standards mandatory for imports.
The government amends Schedule I of the ITC (HS) Classification to add a condition in chapter 1A General Notes that import of cigarette or any other tobacco product shall be subject to the provisions of the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2009 as notified by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, thereby making those labelling requirements mandatory for import compliance.

Import prohibition on avian sourced livestock and products from notifiable avian influenza countries, with limited exceptions and conformity conditions.
Amendment to the ITC (HS) Classification prohibits imports of specified live stock and live stock products from countries reporting notifiable Avian Influenza, listing banned items such as birds, unprocessed avian meat and products, semen, day old chicks, hatching eggs, egg products, unprocessed feathers, live pig, and related biological/pathological materials; the prohibition remains until further orders. Exceptions permit processed pet food with meat ingredients, diagnostic and research pathological materials on specific request, and processed poultry meat following satisfactory conformity assessment of the exporting country.

NOC issuance by designated STEs: uniform service charge applied to onion exports under amended FTP.
Designated State Trading Enterprises (STEs) are authorised to issue NOC to associate shippers for export of onion and may levy a uniform service charge of 1% of the invoice value for issuing the NOC; this substitutes Paragraph 3(ii) of Notification No. 27(RE-2008)/2004-09 with immediate effect while all other conditions of that notification remain unchanged.

Extension of State Trading Corporation rice export validity under Foreign Trade Policy for a limited period.
Amendment substitutes condition (i) of Para 2.1.7 in Notification No. 80 (RE-2008)/2004-09 to require that the specified rice quantity shall be exported through the State Trading Corporation of India for an extended, limited period, effected under the powers of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act and relevant Foreign Trade Policy provisions.