Customs told to clear all Chinese shipments with entry bills till June 30

"The rationale for the June 30 midnight deadline is not very clear," said a government official.

In a breather of sorts for industry, customs officials have been instructed to clear all shipments from China held up at airports and seaports where bills of entry (BoE) have been filed till the midnight of June 30. However, they were told, through informal directives, to hold up consignments coming July 1 onwards for 100 per cent physical checks until further orders.

The latest diktat does not apply to import of active pharma ingredients (APIs). Even 11 top-ranked importers such as Samsung, LG, Honda and Toyota have been exempted from the 100 per cent physical inspection, in line with instructions issued