Free of cost export entitlement for status holders updated, with category exclusions and specific pharmaceutical allowances.
Amendment revises status holders' entitlement to export freely exportable items on a free of cost basis subject to an annual monetary limit or a proportion of average annual export realisation during the preceding three licensing years, excluding Gems and Jewellery, Articles of Gold and precious metals. Free supplies are ineligible for Duty Drawback or any other export incentive. Pharmaceutical exporters are governed by the proportional limit, while supplies of pharmaceuticals, vaccines and lifesaving drugs to international and government health programmes are permitted up to a higher proportional limit.

Import restriction for Urad/Moong: revised policy imposes an annual quota and controls subject to notified procedure.
Import policy for Vigna mungo and Vigna radiata beans is revised from free to restricted under the relevant EXIM code. Imports of Urad/Moong are subject to a Policy Condition imposing an annual quota administered by a notified procedure, with the restriction not affecting Government import commitments under bilateral or regional agreements or MOUs.

Export of gold jewellery now permitted subject to a specified maximum carat limit under amended foreign trade policy.
Amendments impose a maximum carat ceiling on exportable gold jewellery: Para 4.32(i) now permits gold jewellery, including partly processed items and articles (excluding legal tender coins), containing gold of 8 carats and above only up to a maximum of 22 carats. Para 6.01(a) similarly qualifies EOU/EHTP/STP/BTP export permissions to allow export of such gold jewellery and articles from those units subject to the same maximum carat limit while maintaining ITC (HS) prohibitions.

Export permission for essential commodities to Maldives granted with exemption from export restrictions for the designated period.
Authorization under the Foreign Trade Act and Foreign Trade Policy permits specified supplies of eggs and pulses to the Republic of Maldives for 2017-18 under a bilateral trade arrangement, and the exports are exempted from any existing or future restriction or prohibition, effective from April 2017.

Import restriction on Pigeon Peas imposes an annual quota with exceptions for government import commitments under agreements
The import classification of Pigeon Peas (Cajanus cajan)/Toor Dal under specified EXIM Codes is revised from 'free' to restricted, and imports are made subject to Policy Condition 2, which imposes an annual quota (fiscal year) to be implemented by procedure to be notified, while exempting Government import commitments under bilateral or regional agreements/MOUs.

Tobacco packaging rules: imports of cigarettes and other tobacco products now governed by updated packaging and labelling amendment, affecting compliance.
Para 13 of the General Notes Regarding Import Policy of the ITC (HS), 2017 - Schedule 1 (Import Policy) is amended so that import of cigarettes and other tobacco products is subject to the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2017, replacing the earlier reference to the 2009 amendment and aligning import compliance obligations with the 2017 packaging and labelling requirements.

Prohibition of Red Sanders import under amended foreign trade policy restricts entry of Pterocarpus santalinus.
The notification amends Schedule 1 (Import Policy) of the Foreign Trade Policy to change the policy status of Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) under the specified Exim code from free to prohibited, invoking powers under the foreign trade legislation and policy framework and stating that import of Red Sanders is prohibited.

Exemption from import rules: specified categories of imports and temporary admissions are excluded from application of the Rules subject to conditions.
The Order amends the exemption regime to list specific categories of imports and exports exempted from the Rules, including government and security imports, transit and redirected postal consignments in custody, bonded imports for re-export, passenger baggage, diplomatic and UN personnel imports, re imports for repair, temporary admissions under international conventions and ATA carnets, and exports/transshipments in transit; exemptions remain subject to conditions, bonds, custody, re export periods and other applicable prohibitions or regulations.

Import policy amendment reclassifies specified chapter items from restricted to free, imposing health authority conditions.
Amendment reclassifies specified items under Chapter 98 of the ITC (HS) from restricted to free import status, replacing earlier value limit exemptions with policy conditions. Chapter notes are revised to expand the list of exclusions to include tobacco and manufactured tobacco products. Affected Exim codes are to be imported free subject to conditions set out in the Foreign Trade Policy and health related requirements imposed by competent authorities.

Export restriction on sandalwood oil: exports now require a licence under the foreign trade policy framework.
An amendment reclassifies sandalwood oil in the export tariff schedule from Free to Restricted, stipulating that export of sandalwood oil is permitted only under licence under the Foreign Trade Policy framework, effective immediately.

Duty-free diamond import authorization added for certification and re-export, subject to Handbook of Procedures conditions.
The amendment to Para 4.42 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20 adds M/s International Gemological Institute (India) Pvt Ltd at serial no. (5) and authorizes it to import duty free diamonds for certification/grading and subsequent re-export, subject to the conditions in paragraph 4.75 of the Handbook of Procedures 2015-20 and other applicable legal provisions.

Export authorisation for listed hazardous chemicals: specified countries allowed without licence subject to notification and end use certificate.
The amendment substitutes the previous CWC Party dispensation by permitting export of SCOMET Category 1C chemicals to the countries listed in Table 1 without prior export authorisation, subject to notification to designated national authorities within 30 days in the prescribed format, submission of the prescribed End Use Certificate, and filing a copy of the bill of entry into the destination country within 30 days of delivery. Exports to other countries require export authorisation; exports to non CWC States additionally require a Government signed End Use Certificate.

Export exemption for essential commodities to Maldives permits specified allocations and waives export restrictions under bilateral agreement.
The notification allocates specific export quantities of potato, onion, rice, wheat flour and sugar to the Republic of Maldives under the bilateral trade arrangement and establishes an export exemption for those items from any existing or future restriction or prohibition during the specified period, ensuring supply commitments by specifying permitted quantities and precluding trade-restrictive measures for those consignments.

Export permission for Muli bamboo and bamboo products requires Certificate of Origin and compliance with State Forest Department transit rules.
The notification permits export of Muli Bamboo and bamboo products made from legally sourced bamboo, subject to presentation of a Certificate of Origin issued by the concerned State Forest Department (and, for products, alternatively by the Agriculture Department), and compliance with applicable State Forest Department transit rules for transportation; bamboo charcoal, bamboo pulp and unprocessed bamboo shoots remain excluded from the product permissibility.

Import prohibition on milk and milk products from China extended through 23.6.2018 or until further orders.
The notification extends a country-specific prohibition on import of milk and milk products from China, including chocolates, confectionery and food preparations with milk solids, by amending the ITC (HS) import schedule under the Foreign Trade Policy; the ban previously effective to 23/06/2017 is extended until 23/06/2018 or until further orders.

Import regulation of poultry and poultry products now governed by S.O. 2337(E), replacing broad avian influenza import prohibitions.
Amendment removes the prior prohibition list tied to notifiable avian influenza for various live birds and avian products and stipulates that imports of poultry and poultry products will be regulated under S.O. 2337(E) issued under the Livestock Importation Act, 1898, as amended, thereby revising the import policy for those items.

Extension of export timelines for Red Sanders wood: authorities must finalise modalities and complete authorised exports.
Extension of timelines mandates that the Government of Andhra Pradesh, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, and the State Governments of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu finalise export modalities, allocate quantities to authorised entities, and complete the export processes for Red Sanders wood within the substituted deadlines; exports of value added products by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, directly or via authorised entities, must also be completed by the substituted deadline. Other provisions of the earlier notifications remain unchanged.

Export authorisation for fertiliser manufacturers updated allowing free export of their own production subject to FTP conditions.
The Central Government, invoking powers under the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992 and relevant FTP provisions, immediately amends Note 1 of the Export Licensing Note to Chapter 31 (Fertilisers) of ITC(HS) Schedule 2. The notification substitutes Lists A, B and C to publish updated enumerations of SSP, DAP and NP/NPK manufacturers/units that may freely export their own manufactures, subject to the conditions contained in the Export Licensing Note.

Target Plus Scheme implementation applies to specified export period per judicial decision, amending effective date and rescinding prior notifications.
The DGFT notification implements the Target Plus Scheme consistent with a controlling judicial decision by amending Clause 7 to fix the scheme's operative commencement for exports from 20.02.2006 and by treating two subsequent notifications as rescinded ab-initio, thereby clarifying the scheme's temporal scope and removing conflicting administrative instruments.

SCOMET list updated: revised Appendix 3, new Category 8, licensing and reporting rules for controlled exports.
The notification replaces Appendix 3 to Schedule 2 of the ITC(HS) Classification with a revised SCOMET list, clarifies that exports of SCOMET items are Prohibited/Restricted and generally require authorisation, and allocates licensing/jurisdiction: Department of Atomic Energy for Category 0 nuclear items, Department of Defence Production SOPs for certain Category 6 munitions items, and DGFT for Categories 1,2,3,4,5,7 and 8; it imposes reporting requirements for DTA SEZ supplies and mandates DGFT permission before permitting site visits or on site access by foreign parties; effective 1 May 2017.