India’s trade and customs landscape witnessed several important policy developments during August and September 2025, aimed at boosting trade facilitation, easing compliance, and supporting exporters.
The Central Government extended the customs duty exemption on cotton imports till 31st December 2025, ensuring continued relief for the textile sector amid volatile global prices. Simultaneously, the Customs (Provisional Assessment) Regulations, 2025 introduced a more transparent and time-bound system with a single unified electronic bond for importers and exporters, significantly reducing procedural delays.
On the trade facilitation front, CBIC amended the Sea Cargo Manifest and Transshipment Regulations, ensuring regulatory alignment, while the DGFT reinforced online-only filing for Deemed Export applications to enhance transparency and efficiency.
Further, the RoDTEP scheme—a crucial export incentive—has been extended till 31st March 2026, benefiting DTA, AA, SEZ, and EOU units, and the DGFT rolled out electronic issuance of Certificates of Origin under the India–EFTA TEPA Agreement via the Trade Connect platform, marking another milestone in digital trade governance.
Together, these reforms reflect the government’s continued focus on simplifying customs procedures, supporting exporters, and strengthening India’s global trade competitiveness.
