DGFT Extends the USD 111/kg Minimum Import Price on an Atorvastatin Intermediate to 30 November 2026

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has extended a price floor on imports of a specified bulk-drug intermediate used to make atorvastatin, the widely prescribed cholesterol-lowering statin. Through Notification No. 39/2026-27, dated 30 September 2026, DGFT has continued the Minimum Import Price (MIP) of USD 111 per kg on CIF value on the specified item under Chapter 29 of ITC(HS), 2022 up to 30 November 2026. Imports priced below the floor remain "Restricted"; all other terms of the earlier notification are unchanged. Importers of this input must ensure their bills of entry reflect the MIP.

What Happened

DGFT has extended, rather than altered, an existing MIP condition:

• The item covered is a specified atorvastatin intermediate — referenced as 4R-Cis-1,1-Dimethylethyl-6-cyanomethyl-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4-acetate — classifiable under several tariff lines of Chapter 29 (organic chemicals) of ITC(HS), 2022, Schedule-I (Import Policy).
• The MIP is USD 111 per kg on CIF value. Imports at or above this value remain permissible under the applicable policy; imports below the MIP are treated as "Restricted" and require authorisation.
• The condition — first imposed by Notification No. 30/2025-26 (18 September 2025) — was due to lapse on 30 September 2026 and has now been extended to 30 November 2026.
• All other terms and conditions of the earlier notification remain unchanged.

Why / Background

A Minimum Import Price sets a floor value below which imports are curbed, typically to guard domestic manufacturers against very low-priced (often import-dependent) competition and to discourage under-invoicing. For pharmaceutical intermediates, MIPs are used to protect India's bulk-drug ("API"/key-starting-material) ecosystem — part of the broader policy push to reduce import dependence for critical drug inputs.

By extending the floor for two more months rather than letting it expire, DGFT keeps the protection in place while, presumably, it reviews whether a longer-term measure is warranted. For importers, the practical point is simple: the restriction did not lapse on 30 September as scheduled — it continues.

Who's Affected

• Importers of the specified atorvastatin intermediate under the listed Chapter 29 tariff lines.
• Formulators and API manufacturers that rely on imported intermediate to produce atorvastatin, who must factor the price floor into sourcing.
• Customs brokers (CHAs) filing bills of entry for this input, who must ensure declared values comply.
• Domestic producers of the intermediate, who benefit from continued protection against below-floor imports.

Operational Detail

• Declared CIF value on the bill of entry must be at or above USD 111/kg for the import to be treated as "Free"/permissible under this condition.
• Consignments valued below the MIP fall into the "Restricted" category and would require a DGFT import authorisation.
• The condition is live through 30 November 2026; watch for any further extension or a shift to a longer-term measure around that date.

What Importers and CHAs Should Do Now

• Check your contracts and POs. Confirm that the landed CIF value for this intermediate meets or exceeds USD 111/kg before shipping.
• Verify classification. Ensure the product is correctly classified against the specific Chapter 29 tariff lines named in the notification.
• Review in-transit and pipeline cargo. Assess any consignments arriving after 30 September 2026 against the continued MIP.
• Flag below-floor needs early. If a genuine commercial reason requires importing below the MIP, plan for the "Restricted" authorisation route rather than assuming free import.
• Diarise 30 November 2026. Track whether DGFT extends, lapses or replaces the condition, and adjust sourcing accordingly.
• Confirm against the official notification. Verify the exact item description, tariff lines and value against the DGFT notification before acting.

The Bigger Picture

The extension is narrow in product scope but fits a consistent policy theme: India is using MIPs and import-policy conditions to shield strategically important domestic manufacturing — here, the bulk-drug value chain behind a high-volume generic. For importers, the lesson is to treat MIP sunset dates as review points, not automatic expiries: as this case shows, a floor due to lapse can simply be rolled forward. Building MIP checks into procurement and customs workflows avoids a consignment being unexpectedly reclassified as "Restricted" at the border.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly changed? The MIP condition on the specified atorvastatin intermediate, due to end on 30 September 2026, has been extended to 30 November 2026. The USD 111/kg CIF floor and other terms are unchanged.

What happens if I import below USD 111/kg? The import is treated as "Restricted" and would require a DGFT import authorisation rather than being freely importable.

Which products are covered? A specified atorvastatin intermediate under named Chapter 29 (organic chemicals) tariff lines of ITC(HS), 2022. Confirm the exact lines in the notification.

Is this a new restriction? No. It is an extension of an existing MIP first imposed in September 2025, now continued to 30 November 2026.

Will it be extended again? Unknown. Importers should monitor DGFT around 30 November 2026 for a further extension, lapse or a longer-term measure.

Conclusion

DGFT's Notification No. 39/2026-27 keeps the USD 111/kg CIF minimum import price on a specified atorvastatin intermediate alive through 30 November 2026. Importers and CHAs should confirm their declared values meet the floor, treat any below-floor need as a "Restricted" case, and watch the end-November date for what comes next.

This is a regulatory summary. Verify the exact item description, tariff lines, MIP value and validity against the official DGFT Notification No. 39/2026-27 on the DGFT portal before acting.