Regulations explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Regulation 1 of the Import Regulations, 2017 gives the title and says they came into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. Regulation 2 then defines 28 terms (clauses (a) to (ab)), including Authorised Officer, Food Importer, no objection certificate, non-conformance report, shelf life, unclaimed food and visual inspection. Every later chapter relies on them.
This article reads the text as amended up to 27 October 2025 (FSSAI Compendium Version VII dated 06.11.2025). FSSAI compendia are reference consolidations and the Gazette text prevails. Later notifications should be checked on fssai.gov.in.
The Import Regulations apply to "any article of food" brought into India "by land, sea or air". The key definitions are the Authorised Officer, appointed by the CEO of FSSAI under section 25 of the Act; the Food Importer, who must be duly licensed as importer; the no objection certificate and the non-conformance report, both issued by the Authorised Officer to the customs authorities and the importer; and un-cleared and unclaimed food, each tied to a period of thirty days. Importers, customs brokers, custodians and warehouse keepers are affected. See our FSSAI import licence service page for licensing help.
Regulation 1: title and commencement
Regulation 1(1) gives the title, the Food Safety and Standards (Import) Regulations, 2017. Regulation 1(2) says they come into force from the date of their publication in the official Gazette. The principal notification is dated 9 March 2017 and the compendium's Note lists five later amendments, from 7 February 2018 to 27 October 2025.
Regulation 2(1): the definitions, grouped
The definitions run from (a) to (ab). Grouped by the job they do:
People and officers
| Clause | Term | Meaning (summary of the printed words) |
|---|---|---|
| (b) | Authorised Officer | a person appointed by the CEO of FSSAI by order for performing functions under section 25 of the Act |
| (e) | Custodian | an officer appointed by the Commissioner of Customs under whose custody imported goods remain until cleared for home consumption, warehoused or trans-shipped |
| (h) | Custom House Agent | as in clause (c) of section 2 of the Custom House Agent Regulations, 2004 |
| (k) | Food Analyst | a person appointed under section 45 of the Act to analyse the food sample |
| (l) | Food Importer | a Food Business Operator importing or desirous of importing an article of food into Indian territory, duly licensed as Importer under the Licensing and Registration Regulations, 2011 |
| (u) | Review Officer | an officer authorised by the CEO for review of the orders of the Authorised Officer |
Customs terms
Clauses (d) Bill of entry (filed by the Importer under section 46 of the Customs Act, 1962), (f) Customs airport, (g) Customs area, (i) Customs port (including an inland container depot) and (m) import ("bringing into India any article of food by land, sea or air") borrow the Customs Act, 1962 where they name it.
Documents and orders
| Clause | Term | Meaning (summary) |
|---|---|---|
| (n) | non-conformance report | a report issued to the customs authorities and the food importer by the Authorised Officer, or another officer specifically authorised, for non-compliance of the consignment with the Act and the rules and regulations |
| (o) | No objection certificate | a certificate issued to the customs authorities and the food importer by the Authorised Officer, or another officer specifically authorised, for complying with the Act and the rules and regulations |
| (p) | packing list | the itemised list of articles of food giving description, quantity and weight of each imported article |
| (x) | stuffing list | a list of food items and their actual physical arrangement inside the container, cartons, pallets or skids |
| (y) | Transit Country List | the list of countries through which the imported article transits before reaching Indian territory |
Clearance concepts
| Clause | Term | Meaning (summary) |
|---|---|---|
| (q) | pre-arrival document scrutiny | scrutiny of documents submitted by the Food Importer in advance, before arrival, to facilitate faster clearance at the customs port |
| (r) | prohibited article of food | an article declared by the food authority from time to time as prohibited and published on its website |
| (s) | prohibited location or origin | locations for which conditional or absolute restrictions are specified by the food authority on its website |
| (v) | risk based random sampling | drawing samples randomly based on the risk criteria identified and the compliance history of the importer |
| (ab) | visual inspection | inspection by the authorised officer or an officer deputed by him, ascertaining physical condition of the consignment, scrutiny of documents and compliance of packaging and labelling regulations before drawing samples |
Shelf-life, fees and timing
Clause (c) defines "balance shelf-life" as the period between the date of import (Import General Manifest) and the date-of-minimum-durability marking or the date of expiry, as the case may be. Clause (w) defines "shelf life" as the period between the date of manufacture and that durability marking or the date of expiry, whichever is earlier, as printed on the label. Clause (j) defines "fees" as the charges specified by the food authority for clearance of imported food consignments, and clause (t) defines the "review application fee" as the fee levied towards disposal of a review application against an Authorised Officer's order. No amount is printed in the definitions and none is stated here.
Clause (z) defines an "unclaimed article of food" as an imported consignment not having a claimant or bill of entry or both up to thirty days after unloading. Clause (aa) defines an "un-cleared article of food" as a consignment whose delivery is not taken by the importer within thirty days on receipt of the no objection certificate from the food authority.
Regulation 2(2) says words and expressions not defined but defined in the Act have the meaning in the Act. For the Act's import provisions, see our post on section 25 of the FSS Act on imports of food.
An invented example: Aarav Imports brings a container of packed snacks by sea. It is a "Food Importer" only if licensed under the Licensing and Registration Regulations. The Authorised Officer conducts a "visual inspection" and, if the consignment complies, issues a "no objection certificate" to customs and to Aarav. If Aarav does not take delivery within thirty days of receiving that certificate, the consignment is "un-cleared".
A map of the Import Regulations
| Chapter | Subject | Regulations | Article in this series |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Preliminary | 1-2 | this article |
| II | Licensing of Food Importers | 3-4 | Regulations 3 and 4 |
| III | Clearance of Imported Food by the Food Authority | 5-6 | Regulation 5 and the labelling article |
| IV | Food Import Clearance for Specific Purposes | 7 | one article |
| V | Storage and Sampling of Imported Food | 8-9 | one article |
| VI | Laboratory: Analysis of Samples | 10 | one article |
| VII-VIII | Scheme for Risk based Food Import Clearance; Prohibition and Restrictions on Imports | 11-12 | one article |
| IX-X | Officers of the Food Authority; Orders by the Authorised Officer | 13-14 | one article |
| XI | Review Process | 15 | one article |
| XII-XIII | Disposal of Rejected Food Consignments; Uncleared and Unclaimed Food | 16-17 | one article |
| XIV | Registration and inspection of Foreign Food manufacturing facilities | inserted by the notification of 3 November 2021 | see the article on regulations 16 and 17 |
For a general overview see importing food into India under FSSAI requirements. The next articles cover licensing and clearance.
Need help with import compliance?
Reading a consignment against these definitions is the first step in any clearance. Our FSSAI import licence service helps importers with licensing, documents and the clearance sequence.
Key takeaways
- The Regulations apply to any article of food brought into India by land, sea or air.
- The Authorised Officer is appointed by the CEO of FSSAI under section 25 of the Act.
- Only a duly licensed importer is a "Food Importer" under clause (l).
- A no objection certificate and a non-conformance report are both issued to customs and to the importer.
- Unclaimed and un-cleared food each carry a thirty-day test.
Read next
- Regulations 3 and 4: import licence and cancellation
- Regulation 5: clearance of imported food
- Importing food into India: FSSAI requirements
- Section 25, FSS Act: imports of food
Disclaimer: Based on the FSSAI regulations named above as consolidated in FSSAI's compendium versions or as published in the Gazette, with the later notifications the article names (consulted on fssai.gov.in on 2-3 October 2026). Later notifications and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 provisions referred to should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.