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Test cough syrups for exports on top priority: DCGI amid contamination row

With India making testing of cough syrups before export mandatory from June 1, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has asked specified state laboratories to examine such samples from manufacturers on "top priority and issue the test report at the earliest". Cough syrup exporters will have to produce a certificate of analysis issued by a government laboratory before the product is exported, effective June 1, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification on Monday. The move came amid instances of quality concerns being raised abroad on cough syrups exported by Indian firms. "The export of cough syrup shall be permitted to be exported subject to export samples being tested and production of a certificate of analysis issued by any of the laboratories..., with effect from June 1, 2023," the notification stated. On Wednesday, the country's top drug regulaor, DCGI, wrote to state drug controllers of Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra

Tweaks in quality norms will drive the pharma product exports higher: DGFT

More pharmaceutical products can be brought under mandatory quality improvement norms if needed to comply with global standards for export from India if the health ministry issues an advice in this regard, a top official said on Tuesday. Director General Foreign Trade (DGFT) Santosh Kumar Sarangi said all pharmaceutical products must meet global standards and quality requirements. His remarks come a day after the Directorate General of Foreign Trade in a notification said cough syrup exporters will have to undertake testing of their products at specified government laboratories from June 1 before getting permission for the outbound shipments. The direction came in the wake of quality concerns raised globally for cough syrups exported by Indian firms. "This is a continuous effort which has been started with cough syrup. It is our endeavour that any cough syrup exported from India must meet minimum benchmark requirement of quality standards. Therefore they will be exported after bein

Tax bodies must ensure fast closure under trader amnesty scheme: CBIC

The scheme was announced by the DGFT in the Foreign Trade Policy on 31 March and is set to benefit 2,500-3,000 exporters

DGFT lays out procedure for exporters to apply for amnesty scheme

The commerce ministry on Monday laid out a procedure for applying for amnesty scheme for one-time settlement of default in export obligation by certain exporters. The directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT), under the ministry, directed the regional authorities to process any such applications within three working days. "Application for AA (advance authorisation)/EPCG (export promotion for capital goods) discharge/closure shall be filled online by logging onto the DGFT website and navigating to services," the DGFT said in a policy circular. The government announced the new foreign trade policy (FTP) on March 31. It included an amnesty scheme for exporters for one-time settlement of default in export obligation by the holders of advance and EPCG (export promotion for capital goods) authorisations. Under the scheme, all pending cases of the default in meeting export obligation (EO) of certain authorisations can be regularised by the authorisation holder on payment of all customs

Chatroom: EO fulfilment can start from date of issue of EPCG authorisation

'You can export goods capable of being manufactured by the use of capital goods imported under the EPCG scheme'

Key FTP changes that didn't find mention in the highlights

Generally speaking, the new FTP continues with the same old provisions under the major export promotion schemes

New trade policy continues with old schemes

The new policy gives no specific period for its validity or any expiry date, but it can be amended anytime

Online monitoring portal to give 'Districts as Export Hubs' plan a leg-up

The idea will be to monitor the process of the district-wise export plan across all 750 districts across the country, and enable the states and DGFT regional authorities to upload all information

Online platform soon for amnesty scheme benefits: DGFT SK Sarangi

'There are other sectors, such as engineering goods, agriculture, food processing, where the potential is very high'

Govt's new foreign trade policy set to boost domestic manufacturing

Apart from that, under the policy, e-commerce as export hubs (ECEH) will be set up through private initiative or in public-private partnership (PPP) mode, in partnership with the states or the Centre

Customs dept monitoring toy imports, newer modus operandi adopted: CBIC

The CBIC on Saturday said the customs department is closely monitoring import of toys and continuously tackling newer modus operandi adopted to circumvent the quality control and safety norms. The government earlier this week said 18,600 toys have been seized in the last one month from major retail stores, including those of Hamleys and Archies, at airports and malls across India for lack of BIS quality mark and use of fake licences. In a tweet, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) said the customs department is engaged with both BIS and the DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade) to thwart attempts of circumventing the quality control and safety checks. It said newer modus operandi adopted to circumvent the BIS restrictions by way of imports of parts of toys, staggered import of such parts through different ports, and misdeclaration of toys and their parts as entirely different items is being "continuously tackled". "Indian Customs has been closely monitoring

Govt to discontinue import of crude soybean oil under tariff rate quota

The government on Wednesday said that it has decided to discontinue import of crude soybean oil under tariff rate quota (TRQ) from April 1 this year. TRQ is a quota for a volume of imports that will enter India at specified or nil duty, but after the quota is reached, the normal tariff applies to additional imports. "Last date for import of crude soybean oil under TRQ has been revised to March 31, 2023. Further, no allocation of TRQs for import of crude soybean oil shall be made for 2023-24," the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) said in a public notice. The government has earlier exempted customs duty and agriculture infrastructure development cess on 20 lakh metric tonnes yearly import of crude soybean oil and crude sunflower oil each, to ease domestic prices. The duty-free import of 20 lakh MT per year was earlier applicable for two financial years -- 2022-23 and 2023-24 -- for crude soybean oil and crude sunflower oil. Now it is applicable only for crude sunflower see

'DGFT should clarify duty payment for destruction of imported goods'

Practically, it is difficult to escape payment of customs duty and interest even when the goods are destroyed or re-exported

'DGFT should align RoDTEP, Customs Tariff HSN Codes'

'The DGFT should also resolve the problem of exporters who have used the HSN Code as per Customs Tariff but have ticked the right box in the shipping bill to indicate their claim of RoDTEP benefits'

Centre seeks info from embassy on Iran's bar on rice, tea imports

'As of now, there has been no confirmation from the authorities and the response from the embassy in Tehran is also taking time'

Centre allows export incentives for those settling trade in rupee

DGFT makes key amendments to foreign trade policy

Centre extends ban on sugar exports; opens door for shipments under quotas

The government has extended restrictions on sugar exports till October 31 next year, a move aimed at increasing availability of the commodity in the domestic market. Earlier, the restrictions were imposed till October 31 this year. "Restriction on export of sugar (raw, refined, and white sugar) is extended beyond October 31, 2022 till October 31, 2023, or until further orders, whichever is earlier. Other conditions will remain unchanged," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification dated October 28. However, it said these restrictions will not be applicable on sugar being exported to the EU and the US under CXL and TRQ duty concession quotas. A specified amount of sugar is exported to these regions under CXL and TRQ (tariff rate quota). India has been the highest producer and the second largest exporter of sugar in the world in the current year.

Chatroom: 'Drawback of IGST also available on re-export of imported goods'

This is subject to submission to Customs a certificate from the local GST officer that input tax credit has not been taken, and no refund of such ITC or IGST paid on the goods has been claimed

CBI books joint DGFT for receiving Rs 1 crore bribe in 2018 fraud case

The CBI has booked a joint director general of foreign trade for allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs 1 crore from a businessman in 2018 in a fraud case of Rs 118 crore, officials said Thursday. Following the registration of the FIR against Joint Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Sambhaji A Chavan and Deputy DGFT Prakash S Kamble, 2008 and 2013-batch Indian Trade Service officers respectively, and businessman Ramesh Manohar Chavan, among others, the CBI conducted searches at nine locations in Delhi, Daman, Mumbai and Pune, they said. "It is alleged that eight Export Promotion Credit Guarantee (EPCG) licenses were issued in the name Radha Madhav Corporation Ltd (RMCL) by Directorate General for Foreign Trade for import of 'capital machinery' and as per the scheme, RMCL had the obligation to export eight times the value of duty saved on the goods imported," the FIR alleged. The Central Bureau of Investigation alleged that the total amount of duty saved on import by RMCL was Rs 16.

Govt permits invoicing, payment and settlement of trade in rupee

The commerce ministry on Friday allowed invoicing, payment and settlement of exports and imports in Indian rupee, a move aimed at facilitating trade in the domestic currency. In July, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had asked banks to put in place additional arrangements for export and import transactions in Indian rupees in view of increasing interest of the global trading community in the domestic currency. To align the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) with this decision of the RBI, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) added a new paragraph in the FTP. DGFT is an arm of the ministry which deals with export and import related matters. "Para 2.52 (d) is notified to permit invoicing, payment and settlement of exports and imports in INR (Indian rupee) in sync with RBI's ...circular dated July 11, 2022. This shall come into force with immediate effect," DGFT said in a notification. Accordingly, it said, settlement of trade transactions in INR may also take place through special