The North News
New Delhi, January 16
India’s customs authority has extended key export incentive schemes to goods shipped through the postal route, a move aimed at boosting e-commerce and MSME exports. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) said exporters using electronic postal declarations will now be eligible for benefits under the Duty Drawback, RoDTEP and RoSCTL schemes. The decision will take effect from 15 January 2026.
Officials said the measure would create a level playing field for exporters using postal services and help expand cross-border e-commerce, particularly for small businesses based in smaller towns and remote areas. To implement the change, CBIC has amended the Postal Export (Electronic Declaration and Processing) Regulations, 2022. A notification and a circular detailing the operational framework were issued on Wednesday.
The move builds on a series of reforms aimed at digitising and simplifying India’s export ecosystem. These include the introduction of a dedicated chapter on cross-border digital trade in the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 and the rollout of electronic processing for postal exports and imports.
India currently has 28 notified foreign post offices, while more than 1,000 Dak Niryat Kendras have been set up under a hub-and-spoke model to support MSME exporters.
Officials said the extension of incentives to postal shipments would reduce costs, improve competitiveness and strengthen India’s position in the global e-commerce market.
