The Central government has made adjustments to customs procedures for export cargo returning to India due to disruptions in key maritime routes, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. This decision follows the inability of several vessels carrying Indian export consignments to reach their intended ports because of the ongoing disruptions in the region.
In response to this situation, some ships have returned to Indian ports with export cargo that had already been cleared. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) issued a circular introducing a simplified process for handling such consignments upon their return to Indian ports.
This temporary relief aims to address concerns raised by exporters and shipping companies and facilitate the processing of “back to town” requests from exporters whose cargo could not be delivered abroad. The relaxation in customs procedures will be effective for 15 days from the circular’s date.
Under the new arrangement, containers returning to India can be unloaded at port terminals without the usual import documentation requirement, such as a Bill of Entry. However, customs officials will still verify the shipping documents before allowing the containers to be offloaded from the vessels. Authorities will also inspect container seals and match details with shipping bills, conducting a full inspection if any seals are tampered with.
The CBIC has permitted exporters to cancel shipping bills for such consignments, even if the Export General Manifest (EGM) has been filed. A new feature will be added to the Indian Customs Electronic System (ICES) platform to enable the cancellation of shipping bills post EGM filing. This measure is to prevent the issuance of export incentives for cargo that did not reach foreign destinations.
If exporters have already received tax benefits or export incentives like IGST refunds or duty drawbacks, they will need to reimburse the government. The details of cancelled shipping bills will be shared through ICEGATE with entities such as the Reserve Bank of India and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.
