Updates
Policy moves, disruptions and the latest developments across global trade.
The 57th GST Council (8 Oct 2026) recommended faster refunds — acknowledgement in 10 days, 90% sanctioned on risk basis, orders in 3 working days — plus refunds on plant & machinery, decriminalisation and a higher prosecution threshold. Changes take effect only via CBIC notifications.
Adani Airport Holdings has reportedly restricted acceptance of Russia-bound air cargo booked on Aeroflot and OFAC-designated Volga-Dnepr at Mumbai, citing US sanctions. Reports put stranded freight (pharma, machinery, spares) at roughly 15 to 150 tonnes with demurrage mounting. Exporters shipping to Russia via Mumbai should re-route.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal announced on 7 Oct 2026 a new FTA Utilisation Cell to help businesses tap India's trade pacts — EFTA TEPA, the UK CETA (in force since 15 July) and the coming EU deal. Working with Export Promotion Councils, industry bodies and states, it aims to turn signed agreements into actual preferential-tariff uptake.
Around 6 Oct 2026, DGTR launched five anti-dumping investigations covering persulphates, clavulanic acid, counterbalance forklifts, internally grooved copper tubes and caprolactam — mainly from China, plus the EU, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Russia and the US. A separate countervailing probe targets the copper tubes.
DGFT Public Notice No. 31/2026-27 (30 Sep 2026) again extends the timeline for holders to surrender unutilised Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) allocated for the import of 10 lakh MT of raw sugar. It affects TRQ allottees who could not use their full quota and gives them more time to hand back the balance.
Through Trade Notice No. 27/2026-27 (14 Sep 2026), DGFT has proposed a comprehensive overhaul of India's non-preferential rules of origin by amending Para 2.93 of the Handbook of Procedures, 2023. The draft sets clear origin tests — substantial transformation beyond 'simple operations', change in tariff heading or 35% value addition — and keeps Non-Preferential Certificate of Origin issuance online via trade.gov.in, with self-certification for status-holder manufacturers.
CBIC Circular No. 36/2026-Customs (20 Aug 2026) extends, until 31 October 2026, the temporary facilitation for export and international cargo diverted by the Strait of Hormuz closure. Under Section 143AA, such cargo can be temporarily unloaded and stored at any seaport or international airport for onward transhipment — but not cleared into the domestic market. The window closes at month-end.
India's DGTR has initiated seven anti-dumping investigations through separate notifications issued between 23 and 28 September 2026, covering Chinese imports of pharma APIs (Penicillin G, 6-APA, Amoxycillin Trihydrate, Montelukast Sodium), a rubber tackifier resin, elevator guide rails and copolymer polyol. The 6-APA probe also covers the EU. Importers of these goods face possible provisional duties.
In a sunset-review final finding dated 23 Sep 2026, India's DGTR recommended continuing anti-dumping duty for five more years on aluminium foil up to 80 microns from China, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, at USD 93.53–976.99 per tonne. The recommendation awaits a Finance Ministry notification; the existing duty has been extended to 15 Dec 2026 in the interim. Foil importers and packaging buyers are affected.
Under the FEMA (Export and Import) Regulations, 2026 (effective 1 Oct 2026), exporters of services must file a monthly Export Declaration Form (EDF) in EDPMS via their AD bank/STPI, replacing SOFTEX. First filings for October invoices are due around end-November. IT/ITeS, SaaS, GCCs, consultants and freelancers are now all in scope.
India's DGTR has initiated five new anti-dumping investigations (reported 6 Oct 2026) covering caprolactam, clavulanic acid, persulphates, internally grooved copper tubes and counterbalance forklifts — mainly against China, with the EU, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Russia and the US also named on specific products. Importers face possible provisional duties.
The Ministry of Textiles has extended the RoSCTL scheme — the rebate of embedded state and central taxes and levies for apparel, garments and made-ups — to 31 December 2026 (effective 1 Oct 2026). Garment and made-up exporters keep this rebate alongside RoDTEP, removing a key uncertainty for the festive export season.
The government has extended the RELIEF Component-II eligibility timeline to 31 March 2027, continuing enhanced export credit/war-risk insurance support for shipments routed through the West Asia / Red Sea corridor amid persistently high Gulf war-risk costs. Exporters shipping to or via the region keep access to the relief.
A Finance Ministry notification effective 24 Sep 2026 cut basic customs duty on crude and refined palm, soybean and sunflower oils — crude sunflower oil to nil, crude palm and soybean to 5%, and refined grades by 5 percentage points — to ease festive-season prices. Edible oil importers should reprice bills of entry against the lower duties.
CBIC Circular No. 36/2026-Customs lets cargo diverted or returned because of the Strait of Hormuz disruption be transhipped, temporarily unloaded and stored at Indian ports under customs supervision. The facilitation is in force only until 31 October 2026, so forwarders and CHAs should act on affected shipments now.
In its fortnightly review effective 1 Oct 2026, the Finance Ministry cut the Special Additional Excise Duty (windfall tax) on ATF exports to ₹10.5/litre (from ₹15) via Notification 53/2026-Central Excise, while revising the levy on diesel and petrol exports upward. Petroleum product exporters should reprice shipping bills for the new fortnight.
DGFT is building an Exporter Performance Index that tracks exporters' five-year track record through their IECs, to target export promotion where growth is real. It also reaffirmed India will avoid WTO-incompatible subsidies and keep RoDTEP and Advance Authorisation. Clean IEC and filing data now matters more.
India's merchandise exports rose about 26.12% year-on-year to roughly US$43.81 billion in August 2026 — the fastest growth since 2022 — while the trade deficit narrowed to about US$26.86 billion, a five-month low. Engineering goods, petroleum products, chemicals and textiles led; gold imports fell sharply. A read on where the momentum is.
In a sunset review dated 23 September 2026, India's DGTR recommended continuing definitive anti-dumping duty on aluminium foil of 80 micron and below from China, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia for another five years, at USD 93.53–976.99 per tonne. The Finance Ministry takes the final call. Importers of foil and packaging inputs should plan for continued duty.
India's DGTR is investigating alleged dumping of Ethambutol Hydrochloride — a key anti-tuberculosis drug input — imported from China and Thailand, on a petition by Lupin. It is an investigation, not a duty: no anti-dumping duty applies yet. Importers and formulators of this API should map exposure now, as provisional duties can follow a finding of injury.