Customs corrigendum: goods imported through courier service now sole entry in para two list under notification amendment.
The corrigendum replaces the multiple sub entries previously set out in paragraph 2 of the notification and directs that paragraph 2 shall be read to contain a single entry: goods imported through a courier service, thereby narrowing the operative content of that paragraph to courier imported goods.

Tourist origin correction: notification amends proviso language to specify foreign origin tourists instead of Indian origin.
Corrigendum corrects the first proviso to Rule 3 of Notification No.43/2016-Customs(N.T.) by substituting the phrase "tourist of Indian origin" with "tourist of foreign origin", thereby amending the eligibility descriptor in the proviso.

Customs service fee exemption applies where ports and airports provide round-the-clock cargo clearance on all days.
Customs service fees are exempted at Customs ports and airports where cargo-clearance working hours are prescribed as twenty-four hours on all days. The exemption covers services rendered by officer categories listed in the fee table under the Customs (Fees for Rendering Services by Customs Officers) Regulations, 1998. The amendment inserts this exemption as a proviso to regulation 3 and takes effect upon publication in the Official Gazette.

Electronic integrated declaration replaces electronic declaration, updates customs broker references, and mandates ICEGATE electronic filing.
The regulations substitute the term Electronic Integrated Declaration for "electronic declaration" throughout the Bill of Entry rules, replace the Customs House Agents Licensing reference with the Customs Brokers Licensing Regulations, 2013, omit clause (b), expand "includes its print-outs" to "includes its electronic records or print outs" as defined in the Information Technology Act, and require filing in the electronic form provided at the ICEGATE website instead of the Annexure format.

Tariff value fixation updated for specified imported commodities, setting reference values for customs assessment and import processing.
The Central Board of Excise & Customs, under section 14(2) of the Customs Act, 1962, substitutes TABLE 1, TABLE 2 and TABLE 3 of Notification No. 36/2001 Customs (N.T.) with new tables prescribing tariff values in US dollars for specified imported goods, including edible oils, brass scrap, poppy seeds, areca nut, and gold and silver, to serve as reference values for customs assessment and administration.

Baggage allowance revised: distinct duty-free limits and residency conditions for arriving passengers, with updated stay-based concessions.
Amendments revise duty free baggage entitlements: passengers (excluding infants) arriving from countries other than Nepal, Bhutan or Myanmar may clear used personal effects, travel souvenirs and other articles not in Annexure I up to prescribed monetary limits; tourists of foreign origin have a lower limit. For arrivals from Nepal, Bhutan or Myanmar similar entitlements apply with specific limits and land arrivals and infants limited to used personal effects. The Appendix to rule 6 replaces stay based concessions with aggregate value caps, eligibility conditions and limited condonation provisions; Annexure II is amended to include larger domestic refrigerators.

Tariff concessions under IJCEPA: revised preferential import rates for listed goods, effective from the notification's commencement date.
Notification substitutes the Table in Notification No.69/2011 Customs to provide revised preferential tariff rates for specified goods under the India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. Exercising powers under section 25(1) of the Customs Act, 1962, the Central Government lists HS code ranges and tariff items with their applicable percentage rates (including nil or reduced rates) to be applied for customs assessment and exemption claims under the IJCEPA preferential regime, and fixes the commencement date stated in the notification.

Duty exemptions for specified personal goods imported by returning residents or transfers of residence, with unit and aggregate value limits.
Notification provides duty exemption for goods under Heading 9803 imported as bona fide baggage by persons returning after at least 365 days abroad or by persons transferring residence; Table I goods are fully exempt, Table II exempt up to 15% ad valorem with duty on excess. Conditions include passport and residence-duration requirements, one unit per item limits, aggregate value caps (Rs. 200,000 for returning residents; Rs. 500,000 for transferees), non-duplication within three years, compliance with Baggage Rules time limits, family declaration for transfers, and condonation rules for short visits.

Baggage import duty capped at 35% ad valorem on excess value beyond allowance, with specified exceptions.
Articles under Heading 9803 imported as baggage are exempt from that portion of customs duty exceeding a rate of 35% ad valorem; duty is calculated on the value exceeding the passenger's duty free allowance or, for unaccompanied baggage, on the full value, and where one article exceeds the allowance duty applies only to the excess value not utilised for other baggage. Specified exclusions include firearms, cartridges over fifty, excess tobacco, and goods via courier.

Tobacco product limits revised: reduced permitted quantities for cigarettes, cigars and loose tobacco on import.
A corrigendum to Notification No. 31/2016-Customs(N.T.) replaces the expression "Cigarettes:200 numbers or Cigar upto 50 or Tobacco 250 grams" in column (3) of the TABLE with "Cigarettes up to100 sticks or Cigars upto 25 or Tobacco up to125 grams", thereby revising the permissible personal import quantities for those tobacco products.

Customs duty exemption added for a certified diamond testing institute, allowing import of cut and polished diamonds for testing.
The Central Government amended Notification No. 40/2015 Customs to insert HRD Diamond Institute Private Limited, Mumbai in the Table of entities eligible for customs duty exemption, thereby permitting that institute to import cut and polished diamonds for the purpose of testing and certification under the existing exemption framework.

Appointment of land customs station: Kakrawah designated for baggage and vehicle clearance and added to Nepal frontier crossings.
The notification amends the principal customs notification to appoint Kakrawah as a land customs station for clearance of baggage, passenger vehicles and tourist vehicles and inserts item (27) in the TABLE for the Nepal land frontier identifying "Kakrawah, Siddharthnagar District, Uttar Pradesh" with the road connecting Kakrawah and Karidah in Nepal as the relevant crossing route.

Provisional anti-dumping duty on glazed/vitrified porcelain tiles imposed to counter dumped imports and protect domestic industry.
Imposition of provisional anti-dumping duty on glazed and unglazed porcelain/vitrified tiles with less than three percent water absorption originating in or exported from China PR and imported into India, following preliminary findings of dumping, injury to the domestic industry, and causation; duty prescribed per square meter on specified tariff headings and country-of-origin/export permutations, payable in Indian currency, levied for a provisional period not exceeding six months, with exchange rate for conversion determined by the notified Customs rate and relevant date as bill of entry presentation.

Anti-dumping duty on tyre curing presses from China imposed, applying to specified imports assessed on CIF value.
Imposition of a definitive anti-dumping duty on Tyre Curing Presses (excluding Six Day Light Curing Press for bicycle tyres) originating in or exported from the People's Republic of China, charged as a percentage of CIF value under tariff item 8477 51 00, applied to specified combinations of country of origin, export, producer and exporter, payable in Indian currency and effective for a five-year term subject to earlier modification.

Anti-dumping duty on 2 Ethyl Hexanol imports to counter dumped imports and address injury to domestic industry.
Imposition of definitive anti-dumping duty on 2 Ethyl Hexanol (tariff item 2905 16 20) from specified countries following designated authority findings of dumped imports causing material injury; duties are specified by country/producer/exporter in US dollars per metric ton, payable in Indian currency with exchange rate determined by Government notification and relevant date as bill of entry presentation; investigation terminated for Saudi Arabia due to de minimis dumping margin; notification later rescinded.

Safeguard duty on hot-rolled steel coils imposed with phased ad valorem rates, subject to price and country exemptions.
Imposition of staged ad valorem safeguard duty on imports of hot-rolled flat products of steel in coils of nominal width 600 mm or more (heading 7208 / tariff item 7225 30 90) for a period of two years and six months from the provisional levy, with amounts reduced by any anti-dumping duty. The duty is subject to an exemption where imports are at or above specified import prices on CIF basis for listed tariff items, defined by reference to assessable value under section 14 of the Customs Act, and excludes certain product types and imports from notified developing countries other than specified exceptions.

Customs Duty extension: continuation of BCD rates on wheat and ghee/butteroil for interim periods.
Amends Notification No.12/2012 Customs by substituting later expiry dates in the proviso: clause (ac) is amended to extend the period for the Basic Customs Duty rate on imported wheat, and clause (k) is amended to extend the period for the Basic Customs Duty rate on imports of ghee, butter and butteroil; all other terms of the principal notification remain unchanged.

Rate of exchange determination sets specified foreign currency conversion rates for import and export valuation under customs law.
The Central Board of Excise and Customs, invoking its Customs Act powers, determines with effect from 18th March, 2016 the conversion rates of specified foreign currencies into Indian rupees for customs valuation of imported and export goods. Rates are set out in two schedules: Schedule I (per unit rates with distinct figures for imported and export goods) and Schedule II (rates per 100 units), and the notification supersedes the earlier notification except as to past actions; a subsequent note records a substitution to the South African Rand entry.

Designation of Land Customs Station expands notified points to permit unloading of imports and loading of exports at Kashipur.
The notification amends the principal customs schedule by inserting Kashipur District U.S. Nagar against Uttarakhand as a notified Land Customs Station/Inland Container Depot to permit the unloading of imported goods and loading of export goods, thereby expanding the locations authorized for cross-border cargo handling under the principal customs notification.

Safeguard duty recommendation after finding increased imports caused serious injury, with phased measures and limited country exclusions.
The Authority found that imports of hot rolled flat steel coils had increased sharply during the investigation period and that there was a causal link between the surge in imports and the deterioration of domestic industry indicators, constituting serious injury or threat thereof. Having considered extensive submissions on scope, procedure, unforeseen developments, and public interest, and having accepted adjustment plans from domestic producers, the Authority recommended phased safeguard duties on specified tariff headings over a multi year period with exclusions for developing countries whose import shares fall below the relevant thresholds.