G/TFA/N/IND/2  
 
 
11 April 2019  
(19-2375) Page: 1/6 
Committee on Trade Facilitation  Original: English  
 
NOTIFICATIONS UNDER ARTICLES 1.4, 10.4.3 , 10.6.2 AND 12.2.2  
OF THE AGREEMENT ON TRADE FACILITATION  
COMMUNICATION FROM INDIA  
The following communication, dated 10 April 2019 , is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of India for Members' information.  
 
_______________  
 
 
India hereby makes the following notifications based on Articles 1.4, 10.4.3, 10.6.2 and 12.2.2 of 
the Agreement on Trade Facilitation.  
 
Article 1,  paragraph 4  
 
(a) The official place(s) where the items in subparagraphs 1.1(a) to (j) have been 
published  [except sub paragraph (b) ] and respective uniform resource locators as 
referred to in sub paragraph 2.1 are as follows:  
 
Central Board of Indirect 
Taxes Customs (CBIC)  http://www.cbic.gov.in/  For all goods  
Bureau of Indian Standards 
(BIS)  https://bis.gov.in/  For specific types of 
goods requiring a 
license, permit and/or 
certificate for import, 
export and/or transit  
Wildlife Crime Control 
Bureau (WCCB)  http://wccb.gov.in/   
Food Safety and Standards 
Authority of India (FSSAI)  https://www.fssai.gov.in/home   
Director General of Foreign 
Trade (DGFT)  https://dgft.gov.in/   
Central Drugs Standard 
Control Organization 
(CDSCO)  https://c dsco.gov.in/opencms/opencm
s/en/Home/   
Plant Quarantine  http://plantquarantineindia.nic.in/PQI
SMain/Default.aspx   
Animal Quarantine and 
Certification Services 
(AQCS)  http://www.aqcsindia.gov.in/   
Ministry of Textiles  http://texmin.nic.in/   
Department of Commerce  http://commerce.gov.in/   
 G/TFA/N/IND/2  
 
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  Article 1, paragraph 1.1(a)   procedures for importation, exportation, and transit (including port, 
airport, and other entry -point procedures), and required forms and documents;  
 
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)  http://bis.org.in/fmcs/index.asp  
http://www.bis.org.in/fmcs/Forms_Format.asp  
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)  http://wccb.gov.in/Content/CITES/aspx  
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India 
(FSSAI ) http://www.fssai.gov.in/home/fss -legislation/fss -
regulations.html  
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs 
(CBIC ) http://www.cbic.gov.in/index  
Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)  http://dgft.gov.in/foreigns -trade -policy -2015-20- 
http://dgft.gov.in/hand -book-of-procedures -
2015-20-primary -tabs 
Central Drugs Sta ndard Control Organization  
(CDSCO ) http://www.cdsco.nic.in/writereaddata/Guidance
%20documents.pdf  
Plant Quarantine  http://plantquarantineindia.nic.in/PQISMain/Defa
ult.aspx  
Animal Quarantine and Certification Services 
(AQCS)  http://aQCSindia.gov.in/trade.html  
Department of Animal Husbandry and 
Dairying (DAHD)  http://dahd.nic.in/trade  
Ministry of Textiles  http://texmin.nic.in/acts  
 
Article 1, paragraph 1.1(c) fees and charges imposed by or for governmental agencies on or in 
connection with importation, exportation or transit;  
 
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)  http://www.bis.org.in/fmcs/saarcfee.pdf  
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India 
(FSSAI ) http://www.fssai.gov.in/home/fss -
legislation/fss -regulations.html  
http://www.fssai.gov.in/home/import s/order -
guidelines.html  
Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)  http://dgft.gov.in/hand -book-of-procedures -
2015-20-primary -tabs 
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs 
(CBIC)  https://www.icegate.gov.in/SWIFT/agency_fe
e.html  
Central Drugs Standard Control Organization  
(CDSCO ) http://www.cdsco.nic.in/writereaddata/Guidan
ce%20documents.pdf  
Plant Quarantine  http://plantquarantineindia.nic.in/PQISMain/D
efault.aspx  
Animal Quarantine and Certification Services 
(AQCS)  http://aQCSindia.gov.in/quarantine -
charges.html  
 
Article 1, paragraph 1.1(d) rules for the classification or valuation of products for customs purposes;  
 
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and 
Customs (CBIC)  http://www.cbic.gov.in/htdocs -cbec/customs/cst1617 -
300616/cst1617 -3006-idx 
 G/TFA/N/IND/2  
 
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  Article 1, paragraph 1.1(e) laws, regulations, and administrative rulings of general application 
relating to rules of origin;  
 
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau 
(WCCB):  http://wccb.gov.in/Content/WLP.aspx  
http://wccb.gov.in/Content/Cites/aspx  
Food Safety and Standards 
Authority of India (FSSAI ) http://www.fssai.gov.in/home/fss -legislation/food -safety -
and-standar ds-act.html  
http://www.fssai.gov.in/home/imports/import -
regulations.html  
http://www.fssai.gov.in/home/fss -legislation/fss -
regulations.html  
Department of Commerce  http://commerce.gov.in/InnerContent.aspx?Type=  
InternationalTrademenu&Id=32  
Director General of Foreign Trade 
(DGFT)  http://dgft.gov.in/foreigns -trade -policy -2015-20- 
http://dgft.gov.i n/hand -book-of-procedures -2015-20-
primary -tabs 
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and 
Customs (CBIC)  http://www.cbic.gov.in/htdocs -cbec/customs/cs -
act/formatted -htmls/cs -rules-idx 
Plant Quarantine  http://plantquarantineindia.nic.in/PQISMain/Default.aspx  
http://plantquaran tineindia.nic.in/PQISPub/html/Laws.htm  
Animal Quarantine and Certification 
Services (AQCS)  http://aQCSindia.gov.in/trade.html  
 
Article 1, paragraph 1.1(f) import, export or transit restrictions or prohibitions;  
 
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)  http://www.bis.org.in/cert/ProdUnManCert.asp  
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau 
(WCCB)  http://wccb.gov.in/Content/Cites/aspx  
http://wccb.gov.in/Content/WLP.aspx  
Food Safety and Standards 
Authority of India (FSSAI ) http://www.fssai.gov.in/home/imports/import -
regulations.html  
http://www.fssai.gov.in/home/fss -legislation/fss -
regulations.html  
Director General of Foreign Trade 
(DGFT)  http://dgft.gov.in  
Plant Quarantine  http://plantquarantineindia.nic.in/PQISPub/html/travel.htm  
Animal Quarantine and 
Certification Services (AQCS)  http://aQCSindia.gov.in/trade.html  
 
Article 1, paragraph 1.1(g) penalty provisions for breaches of import, export, or transit formalities;  
 
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)  http://www.bis.org.in/cert/ProdUnManCert.asp  
http://bis.org.in/bs/bsindex.asp  
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau 
(WCCB)  http://wccb.gov.in/Content/WLP.aspx  
Food Safety and Standards 
Authority of India (FSSAI ) http://www.fssai.gov.in/home/fss -legislation/food -safety -
and-standards -act.html  G/TFA/N/IND/2  
 
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  http://www.fssai.gov.in/home/imports/import -
regulations.html  
Central Board of Indirect Taxes 
and C ustoms (CBIC)  http://www.cbic.gov.in/htdocs -cbec/customs/cs -act/cs -act-
ch14-revised  
Central Drugs Standard Control 
Organi zation (CDSCO ) http://www.cdsco.nic.in/forms/contentpage1.aspx?lid=1888  
https://cdsco.gov.in/opencms/opencms/system/  
modules/CDSCO.WEB/elements/download_file_  
division.jsp?num_id=MzA3  
Plant Quarantine  http://plantquarantineindia.nic.in/PQISMain/Default.asp x 
Animal Quarantine and 
Certification Services (AQCS)  http://www.aQCSindia.gov.in/pdf/trade -3.pdf 
http://www.aQCSindia.gov.in/pdf/trade -4.pdf 
 
Article 1, paragraph 1.1(h) procedures for appeal or review;  
 
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)  http://bis.org.in/bs/bsindex.asp  
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau 
(WCCB)  http://wccb.gov.in/Content/WLP.aspx  
Food Safety and Standards 
Authority of India  (FSSAI ) http://www.fssai.gov.in/home/i mports/import -
regulations.html  
http://www.fssai.gov.in/home/imports/order -
guidelines.html  
Central Board of Indirect Taxes 
and Customs (CBIC)  http://www.cbic.gov.in/htdocs -cbec/customs/cs -act/cs -act-
ch15 
Plant Quarantine  http://plantquarantineindia.nic.in/PQISMain/Default.aspx  
Animal  Quarantine and 
Certification Services (AQCS)  http://www.aQCSindia.gov.in/grievances.html  
Director General of Foreign Trade 
(DGFT)  http://dgft.gov.in/hand -book-of-procedures -2015-20-
primary -tabs 
 
Article 1, paragraph 1.1(i) agreements or parts thereof with any country or countries relating to 
importation, e xportation, or transit; and  
 
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)  http://www.bis.org.in/sf/international_cooperation.asp  
Food Safety and Standards 
Authority of India  (FSSAI ) http://www.fssai.gov.in/home/imports/import -
regulations.html  
Department of Commerce  http://commerce.gov.in/InnerContent.aspx?Type=Internatio
nalTrademenu&Id=32  
Central Board of Indirect Taxes 
and Customs (CBIC)  http://www.cbic.gov.in/htdocs -cbec/customs/cs -
act/formatted -htmls/cs -rules-idx 
Plant Quarantine  http://ppqs.gov.in/divisions/plant -
quarantine/phytosantitary -agreement  
 
Article 1, paragraph 1.1(j) procedures relating to the administration of tariff quotas.  
 
Director General of Foreign Trade 
(DGFT)  http://dgft.gov.in/hand -book-of-procedures -2015-20-
primary -tabs 
http://dgftcom.nic.in/exim/2000/changesftp2015 -
20/ftproc/CHAP02.pdf  G/TFA/N/IND/2  
 
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(b) The Uniform Resource Locators of website(s) referred to in paragraph 2.1  
 
The Uniform Resource Locators of website(s) referred to in Paragraph 2.1, sub paragraph (a) and 
(b) will be the same as mentioned in sub paragraph (a) of Paragraph 4, Article 1.  
 
Article 10, paragraph 4.3  
 
India hereby makes the following notification in accor dance with Article 10.4 of the Trade Facilitation 
Agreement:  
 
As part of the "Ease of Doing Business " initiatives, Government of India has taken up implementation 
of the Single Window Project to facilitate the Trading Across Borders in India. The Single Wi ndow 
Interface for Facilitation of Trade (SWIFT) is the system through which India has implemented the 
"single window ". SWIFT allows importers and exporters the facility to lodge their clearance 
documents online at a single point only. Required permission, if any, from other regulatory agencies 
is obtained online without the trader having to approach participating governm ent agencies 
separately. SWIFT has streamlined the entire process of clearance of consignments and has 
significantly reduced the interface between trade and the regulatory agencies. Further information 
about SWIFT can be obtained at: https://www.icegate.gov.in/SWIFT/ . 
 
Some of the core facilities that have been provided under Single Window through SWIFT are as 
follows:  
 
i. Integrated Declaration: Traders will submit Integrated Import & Export Declarations 
that will contain clearance related information required by all Participating Government 
Agencies (PGAs). Separate forms/ declarations have been dispensed with Integrated 
Declaration is implemented with the major import regulatory agencies which are 
involved in  issuing clearances or "No Objection Certificates " for live consignments i.e. 
post import have been brought under the ambit of a single import declaration and the 
online clearance facility.  
 
ii. Integrated Risk Assessment:  All Participating Government Agencies  (PGAs) will use 
an automated system to apply the principles of risk -based selectivity for carrying out 
inspection and testing. Indian customs already had a functional Risk Management 
System for risk based selective interdiction of consignments. Now under Integrated Risk 
Management System, risk criteria of major import/export regulatory agencies in India 
for interdiction, sampling and testing of consignments system is also integrated with the 
system.  
 
iii. Automated Routing:  The system applies business rules to identify consignments 
based on the declaration to automatically route them to the relevant PGAs.  
 
iv. Online Clearance:  The system records and collates clearance related decisions and 
approvals from all relevant PGAs and d elivers the results to the trader at a single 
point. A system of online release of consignments with the major import/export 
regulatory PGAs is operational.  
 
Paperless processing:  A system that allows a trader to submit all supporting documents for 
clearan ce of consignments electronically with digital signatures. By doing this, trader does not have 
to approach to different regulatory agencies with hardcopy of documents thereby making entire 
process of consignment clearance faceless and paperless.  
 
Article 1 0, paragraph 6.2  
 
There is no requirement of the mandatory use of customs brokers in India. Where an importer of 
exporter chooses to be represented by a customs broker, Section 146 of the Customs Act, 1962 (No. G/TFA/N/IND/2  
 
- 6 - 
 
  52 of 1962) provides that only a licensed customs broker can handle business relating to the entry 
or departure of a conveyance or import or export of goods at any customs station.  
 
Section 146 of the Customs Act, 1962, the Customs Brokers Licensing Regulations, 2018 and related 
notifications are available at:  
 
• http://www.cbic.gov.in/htdocs -cbec/customs/cs -act/cs -act-ch17-revised2  (refer Section 146)  
• http://www.cbic.gov.in/resources//htdocs -cbec/customs/cs -act/formatted -htmls/Customs -
Brokers -Licensing -Regulations -english -
2019.pdf;jsessionid=1551EC9032355FFF9673877140F28F0B  
• http://www.cbic.gov.in/resou rces//htdocs -cbec/customs/cs -act/notifications/notfns -
2018/cs -nt2018/csnt41 -2018.pdf;jsessionid=89B6BE7148FBF87C29AD536F466ECD33  
• http://www.cbic.gov.in/resources//htdocs -cbec/customs/cs -act/notifications/notfns -
2018/cs -nt2018/csnt41h -2018.pdf;jsessionid=F1ACC86C9B9111385E8FC0B88BABF7CE  
(Hindi)  
• http://www.cbic.gov.in/resources//htdocs -cbec/customs/cs -act/notifications/notfns -
2019/cs -nt2019/csnt08 -2019.pdf;jsessionid =238F4677DA83123BBCDC8CAF199AD6E  
• http://www.cbic.gov. in/resources//htdocs -cbec/customs/cs -act/notifications/notfns -
2019/cs -nt2019/csnt08h -2019.pdf;jsessionid=45C205939FB09F1BF6E6D8A897B83B21  
(Hindi)  
 
Article 12, paragraph 2.2  
 
Ministry of Finance  
Commissioner (Customs & Export Promotion)  
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs  
(CBIC)  
Government of India  Name: Mr. Amitabh Kumar  
Tel.: +91 11 23092080  
E-mail: commr.cus -cbec@nic.in ; 
amitabh.kumar@nic.in  
 
__________