News Capsule: Govt eases norms for export cargo returning to India due to West Asia war
10-Mar-2026 11:35 AM
News Capsule: Govt eases norms for export cargo returning to India due to West Asia war
★ Due to the war in West Asia and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, maritime transport has been disrupted, prompting the Indian government to provide temporary relief in norms for export cargo returning to Indian ports.
★ According to a notification issued by the customs department, vessels that had departed from India with export cargo but had not crossed India’s territorial waters and had not called at any foreign port will be allowed to return and berth at the same port from where they had originally departed. This arrangement has been made effective for 15 days starting from Mar. 8.
★ Containers on such returning vessels can be offloaded without filing a bill of entry. Exporters will also be allowed to move the cargo into the domestic market under the “back to town facility” after customs officials cancel the shipping bills and export orders.
★ However, this relaxation will not apply to vessels that had already crossed India’s territorial waters or had called at a foreign port and returned to India without discharging the cargo. In such cases, the consignments will be treated as exported, and filing a sea arrival manifest will be mandatory.
★ Due to the ongoing tensions in West Asia and disruptions in shipping routes, several export cargo vessels from India have been forced to return, prompting the government to introduce this temporary measure.