Law Updates

Subject

Summary: The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has issued a new public notice on 29th October 2025, changing the procedure for Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) allocation of gold imports under the India–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). As per the new amendment, applicants must now have Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) registration for hallmarking and GST registration to qualify for importing gold under HS Code 7108.  The earlier rule only stated that the import of Gold Dore under TRQ was not allowed. The updated rule adds mandatory BIS and GST requirements to ensure quality and tax compliance. DGFT has also introduced a competitive online bidding or tender system for TRQ allocation to make the process more transparent and efficient.  This change aims to improve the management of gold import quotas under the India–UAE CEPA framework. Eligible applicants for FY 2025–26 can apply online through the DGFT Import Management System on its official website. Details about the application timeline and bidding process will be issued every year through a Trade Notice. This step strengthens India’s gold import policy, ensures fair allocation, and supports trusted trade relations between India and the UAE under the CEPA agreement.

Subject

Summary: On 11 August 2025, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, issued notification imposing new port restrictions on select jute products imported from Bangladesh. As per the amendment to ITC (HS) 2022 Schedule 1 (Import Policy), imports of bleached and unbleached woven jute fabrics, twine, cordage, ropes, cables, and jute sacks from Bangladesh will no longer be allowed via land ports on the India-Bangladesh border. These items, under HS Codes 531090, 560890, 560790, and 630510, can now only enter India through the Nhava Sheva Seaport. The measure, effective immediately, follows earlier DGFT notifications issued in May and June 2025, and aims to regulate import channels while keeping other trade policy provisions unchanged. This step affects India-Bangladesh trade in the jute sector significantly.

Subject

Summary: On July 15, 2025, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, issued a new order to boost food safety and regulate poultry farming. This amendment bans the use of antimicrobial medicines to promote growth or increase yield in poultry birds. It also prohibits several antibiotics, antivirals, and antiprotozoals at any stage of poultry farming, meat production, and processing. The banned substances include carbapenems, glycopeptides, oxazolidinones, cephalosporins with beta-lactamase inhibitors, oseltamivir, favipiravir, molnupiravir, and nitazoxanide. The goal is to stop the misuse of critical drugs in poultry farms and prevent antimicrobial resistance. These rules support safe poultry farming, ensure clean poultry meat, and improve the quality of poultry exports. The move aligns India’s poultry sector with international food safety standards. By enforcing these changes, the government strengthens public health protection and enhances the global reputation of Indian poultry products.