Foreign Trade

DGFT policy, export schemes and import conditions.

18stories

Foreign Trade · 12 Aug 2026

India and SACU sign Terms of Reference for a Preferential Trade Agreement

The negotiations with the Southern African Customs Union will cover eight chapters including market access for goods and rules of origin. No tariff changes yet — only a final agreement will do that.

Foreign Trade · 7 Aug 2026

DPIIT-recognised start-ups can now list on DGFT’s “Source from India” with only an active IEC

Trade Notice 16 dated 6 August 2026 opens the Trade Connect buyer-discovery service to start-ups, with a special onboarding route for those yet to meet the export performance criteria.

New facility

Foreign Trade · 7 Aug 2026

Interest subvention on export credit: EXIM Bank replaces RBI as implementing agency from 1 April 2026

Trade Notice 17/2026-27 records the transition under the Export Promotion Mission – Niryat Protsahan. Banks will now claim reimbursement from EXIM Bank; the benefit still reaches the MSME exporter upfront.

Rule change

Foreign Trade · 5 Aug 2026

E-commerce exports get an inventory model: DGFT notifies the Exporter-on-Record framework; sellers to be paid within 7 days

Notification 27/2026-27 adds an Inventory-based Cross-border E-Commerce Facilitation Framework to the Foreign Trade Policy 2023. A registered Exporter-on-Record buys Indian-origin goods from sellers against confirmed export orders, holds them only for export, and passes on the export benefits.

New facility

Foreign Trade · 13 Jul 2026

Import of goods made with forced labour is prohibited under new FTP Para 2.20B

The Foreign Trade Policy now carries a prohibition on importing goods produced, wholly or in part, with forced labour. The Central Government will name the goods by notification after an enquiry by DGFT.

Rule change

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