Customs
Customs duty, procedure and clearance.
28stories
September 2026
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Customs opens NAC Portal: classification and valuation decisions, CAAR rulings and audit objections in one searchable place
naccustoms.gov.inNew facilityCircular 41/2026-Customs announces the National Assessment Centre Portal at naccustoms.gov.in, open to importers and Customs Brokers, with keyword search and downloadable documents.
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Importing cosmetics, drugs or medical devices: Customs to check CDSCO documents before out-of-charge — upload them on e-SANCHIT
7 checklistsAction neededCircular 40/2026-Customs circulates seven CDSCO checklists of licences, permissions and registration certificates that the Customs officer is to verify before releasing such imports, while their integration under SWIFT 2.0 is in process.
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Sea Cargo Manifest and Transhipment Regulations, 2018 go live port by port from 1 September 2026; no penal action in the roll-out phase — CBIC Circular 38/2026-Customs
SCMTR: all ports by 15 OctAction neededCBIC has made the Sea Cargo Manifest and Transhipment Regulations, 2018 operational from 1 September 2026 in a phased manner. Goa and Bombay started on 1 September; Chennai follows on 9 October, and Nhava Sheva and all remaining ports on 15 October 2026. No penal action is to be taken during the implementation phase.
August 2026
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Raw sugar imported under Advance Authorisation and moved to TRQ: IGST to be paid on a reassessed Bill of Entry, interest waived
Interest waivedClarifiedCircular 37/2026-Customs lays down how an Advance Authorisation holder pays the earlier-exempted IGST at the port of import after the one-time conversion to the Tariff Rate Quota scheme, so that input tax credit can flow to GSTN.
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Strait of Hormuz closure: bulk cargo bound for foreign ports may be stored and transhipped at Indian ports till 31 October 2026
Till 31 October 2026ReliefCircular 36/2026-Customs continues the facilitation for international transhipment through Indian ports and lets Commissioners permit, case by case, temporary unloading and storage of liquid, break and dry bulk cargo diverted to India.
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DRI uncovers misuse of SAFTA in areca nut imports; duty loss put above ₹2,500 crore
₹2,500 croreSouth-East Asian areca nuts were declared as Bangladesh origin to claim full duty exemption under SAFTA. Nine persons are arrested and a Customs Broker’s licence is suspended.
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Television sets: compliance with IS 18112:2022 under the Compulsory Registration Order deferred to 26 January 2027 — CBIC Instruction 14/2026-Customs
Now 26 January 2027ExtendedCBIC has told Customs officers that MeitY, by Notification S.O. 4182(E), has extended the date for compliance with IS 18112:2022 for television sets under the Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021. The requirement, due from 26 July 2026, now applies from 26 January 2027.
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Parcels from abroad: CBIC sets one procedure for all Foreign Post Offices; no reply to a document call in 30 days means assessment on record
30 days to replyRule changeCircular 35/2026-Customs prescribes a uniform SOP for personal postal imports processed through the FPO Import Application, which is live at eight locations and linked to the Risk Management System.
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