Government has increased the number of ports from 12 to 14 through which new vehicles can be imported -- a move which would help in reducing pressure on ports and transactions cost of companies.
"Two new customs ports - Kattupalli Port and APM Terminals, Pipavav Port - are being added to the list of 12 existing ports/ICDs (inland container depot), thereby taking the total number of ports/ICDs to 14, for importing new vehicles," Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has said in a notification.
New vehicles are imported through eight seaports, three airports -- Mumbai Air Cargo Complex, Delhi Air Cargo, Chennai Airport -- and three ICDs -- Telegaon Pune, Tughlakabad and Faridabad.
The eight seaports include Nhava Sheva, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ennore, Cochin and Kattupalli.
India, a major hub of automobile manufacturing in the world, mainly imports high-end vehicles and parts.
The number of commercial and passenger vehicles imported into the country is small in number.
According to a media report, during the April-November period, 1,210 trucks and buses were imported into India.
