Anti-dumping investigation: provisional duties recommended to address dumped Vitamin C imports and material injury to domestic industry.
The Authority investigated alleged dumping of Vitamin C from China PR and Japan, treated domestic product as a like article, sought exporter data, and where cooperation was incomplete constructed normal value. Comparing constructed normal value with weighted export prices, the Authority found significant dumping margins, assessed cumulative effects, concluded dumped imports caused material injury through volume increases and price undercutting, and recommended provisional anti-dumping duties to remove the injury while inviting interested parties to comment.

Petroleum import exemption conditions require DGHC certificates and contractor/sub-contractor undertakings for compliance.
Amendment adds S. No. 154A to the Table and substitutes condition 36 with conditions 36 and 36A, conditioning duty-free import of List 12 goods for petroleum operations on importer status and documentary proof: a Directorate General of Hydro Carbons certificate confirming necessity and contractual importation, a no-foreign-exchange-remittance certificate for contracts involving foreign companies, and for sub-contractors an additional affidavit and contractor undertaking; the no-foreign-exchange requirement does not apply to Indian company sub-contractors. The List 12 heading is revised to cite both S. Nos. 154 and 154A.

Exchange rate determination for imported goods prescribed for stamp duty and customs purposes, replacing prior exchange-rate notification.
The Central Government prescribes exchange rates for specified foreign currencies for calculating stamp duty under the Indian Stamp Act and for purposes of section 14 of the Customs Act in relation to imported goods, superseding the earlier notification and fixing the rates set out in two appended schedules, with an operative commencement of the fifth day of March, 1998.

Amendment to customs appointment rules clarifies admissible watch industry goods for specified-purpose importation.
The Central Government, under clause (a) of section 7 of the Customs Act, 1962, by Notification No. 16/98-Cus. (N.T.) dated 2 March 1998, substitutes sub-item (iv) in the Table to Notification No. 61/94 (N.T.)-Customs (serial number 14, Rajasthan, column (4), item (a)) to specify: parts of wrist watches and clocks, machinery parts, tools, dyes, moulds, jigs and fixtures, lacquers, varnishes and chemicals and all other items or articles meant for the watch industry.

Exemption from advice book delivery permits coastal goods vessels to omit submission at arrival, subject to inspection on demand.
Exemption from advice book delivery exempts vessels carrying exclusively coastal goods from delivering the advice book to the proper officer on arrival at each port, while preserving the proper officer's power to call for or inspect the advice book on board whenever necessary.

Rescission of notification restores prior customs manifest regime for coastal vessels by exercise of statutory power.
The Central Government, under sub section (3) of section 98 of the Customs Act, 1962, issues Notification No. 14/98 Cus. (N.T.) dated 27 February 1998 rescinding Government Notification No. 52 Customs dated 1 February 1963, as published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary Part II, Section 3, Sub section (i) vide G.S.R. 228.

Exchange rate determination sets statutory conversion rates for export goods under Customs Act, superseding prior notification.
Determination of exchange rates for export goods under section 14(3)(a)(i) of the Customs Act by superseding the earlier notification; statutory conversion rates for specified foreign currencies are fixed in Schedule I (rate per one unit) and Schedule II (rate per 100 units) and shall operate from the stated commencement date, serving as the authoritative conversion table for export goods.

Exchange rate determination sets official conversion rates for calculating stamp duty and customs valuation on imported goods.
Prescribes official foreign to Indian currency conversion rates for purposes of calculating stamp duty and for section 14 of the Customs Act in relation to imported goods, superseding the earlier notification and effective from the first day of March, 1998; operative rates are set out in Schedule I (rate per one unit) and Schedule II (rate per one hundred units) for the listed foreign currencies.

Customs exemption scope expanded to include PEC Limited alongside State Trading Corporation for gold and silver imports.
Exercising powers under sub-section (1) of section 25 of the Customs Act, 1962, the Central Government amended Notification No. 80/97-Customs (21 October 1997) by substituting the words that identify the beneficiary entity so as to add an additional trading enterprise alongside the previously named importer, thereby expanding the textual scope of the miscellaneous exemption governing imports of gold and silver.

Customs port functions updated: Muldwarka authorised to unload imported fuels and load clinker and cement for export.
Exercising powers under section 7(a) of the Customs Act, 1962, the Central Government amends Notification No. 62/94 (N.T.) to substitute the Table entry for Muldwarka Port in Gujarat, authorising specifically the unloading of imported coal, petroleum coke and furnace oil and the loading of clinker and cement for export.

Anti dumping investigation initiated over alleged dumping of P Tert Butyl Catechol from France; parties invited to submit information.
The Authority has initiated an anti dumping investigation into imports of P Tert Butyl Catechol from France after prima facie findings that normal value in France exceeds export prices to India, producing a dumping margin above de minimis and that domestic industry indicators collectively indicate injury. Known exporters and importers are invited to submit prescribed information and representations within the prescribed deadline, other interested parties may also submit information, and a public file of non confidential evidence is available for inspection. The Authority may base findings on facts available where parties impede the investigation.

Anti-dumping investigation initiated into chloroquine phosphate imports from China PR alleging dumping and injury; interested parties invited to submit information.
The Designated Authority has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into chloroquine phosphate imports from China PR after a joint petition by domestic producers establishing standing and treating domestic product as like goods. Petitioners produced prima facie evidence that constructed normal value in China PR exceeds export prices to India, indicating dumping, and submitted economic indicators suggesting injury to the domestic industry. Investigations cover the specified period of investigation; known exporters and importers must submit prescribed information within the time limit, interested parties may inspect the public non-confidential file, and the Authority may use facts available where necessary.

Rejection of declared value allows customs officers to request evidence and deem valuation indeterminable if doubts persist.
A new rule allows the proper officer to require further information or evidence where there are reasonable doubts about the truth or accuracy of an importer's declared value and, if doubt persists or no response is received, to treat the value as indeterminable under the valuation rules; at the importer's request the officer must provide written grounds for doubt and afford a reasonable opportunity to be heard before a final decision.

Customs exemption for computer software: tariff classification clarified and software defined, with duty set to nil.
Amendment substitutes S. No. 173 to classify computer software under heading 49 or 85.24 with nil customs duty and defines computer software as any machine readable representation of instructions, data, sound or image (including source and object code) usable with an automatic data processing machine under heading 84.71, excluding software required for operation of machines performing specific non data processing functions.

Exchange rate notification amended: new rupee equivalents set for Australian, Malaysian and Singapore currencies, altering import valuation consequences.
The Central Government, under the Indian Stamp Act and the Customs Act, issues Notification No. 9/98-Cus. (N.T.) amending Notification No. 4/98-NT-Cus. by substituting the Schedule I entries at serial numbers 2, 9 and 15 with new rupee equivalents for the Australian Dollar, Malaysian Ringitt and Singapore Dollar respectively; the substituted rates are declared effective from the specified effective date.

Anti-dumping finding: dumped magnesium from China PR linked to material injury; provisional duties recommended to restore fair competition.
The Authority found that magnesium imports from China PR were exported below normal value, determined normal value on constructed cost due to lack of exporter cooperation, and calculated a significant dumping margin. Examination of volume, prices, production, capacity utilisation, sales and profitability showed price undercutting and price suppression, leading to material injury to the domestic industry. The Authority concluded that dumped imports caused the injury and recommended provisional anti-dumping measures to restore fair competition, inviting interested parties to comment within the prescribed period.

Appointment of Adjudicating Commissioner: New Delhi customs officer designated to adjudicate specified show cause customs cases.
The Central Government, under sub-section (1) of section 4 of the Customs Act, 1962, appoints the Commissioner of Customs (II) (Air Cargo), New Delhi to be the Commissioner of Customs, Calcutta and the Commissioner of Customs, Delhi for the purpose of adjudicating the cases pertaining to M/s. Vintron Industries Ltd., M/s. Vintron Electronics Private Limited and M/s. Ritika Electronics Private Limited, as specified in the Show Cause Notices dated 3 August 1994; this notification supersedes the earlier notification No. 53/Customs (N.T.), dated 24 October 1994.

Inland Container Depot operations amended to authorize unloading of imports and loading of exports at additional depots.
The Central Government amends Notification No.12/97-Cus.(N.T.) to substitute and insert Table entries that designate additional inland container depot locations and to prescribe the permitted activity as "Unloading of imported goods and loading of export goods" for the affected Gujarat entry, a new Kerala entry (Aroor), two added Maharashtra depots (Dighi and Waluj), and a substituted Uttar Pradesh entry (Moradabad).

Customs jurisdiction amended to redefine port, airport, free trade zone and municipal area coverage for enforcement.
Amendment revises Table entries of a prior notification by substituting descriptions to designate, for customs jurisdiction, specific ports and airports, an export processing zone and municipal corporation area in one entry, and a port and airport, a free trade zone, the areas within an eight-kilometre radius around that zone, and municipal jurisdictional areas in another entry, thereby clarifying territorial coverage for appointment and exercise of customs authorities.

Anti-dumping duty on catalysts from Denmark imposed, with specified per litre rates applicable from the prior provisional imposition.
Anti-dumping duty is imposed on six specified catalyst types originating in or imported from Denmark, with distinct per-litre rates set according to classification under Chapter 38 or Chapter 98. The notification bases the imposition on the designated authority's final findings and prescribes the scheduled duty amounts for each catalyst description; duties apply from the date the provisional duty was imposed.