The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) on Friday conducted a hybrid awareness program in the national capital to familiarize stakeholders with the Duty Deferral Scheme for Eligible Manufacturer Importers (EMI), a major trade facilitation measure announced in the Union Budget 2026-27.The session, organized in New Delhi, brought together senior officials and industry representatives to discuss the framework, benefits and operational aspects of the scheme, according to a statement issued by the Finance Ministry, news agency ANI reported.Yogendra Garg, Member (Customs), China Business Intelligence Center (CBIC); Manish Kumar, Principal Commissioner of Delhi Customs; Sanjay Gupta, Principal Commissioner of Delhi Customs Zone (Preventive); Among those present were Akhil Kumar Khatri, Principal Commissioner of Dubai Internet City, along with representatives of trade and industry bodies.
The program included a detailed presentation followed by an interactive session to answer participants’ inquiries.Addressing the gathering, Garg said the scheme is built on a trust-based approach aimed at enabling faster clearance processes and reducing dwell time. He stressed that the initiative seeks to reduce the lack of trust and promote a more efficient and collaborative compliance environment, while encouraging stakeholders to take advantage of its benefits and provide feedback.
Manish Kumar noted that the scheme improves the commercial viability of manufacturers’ importers by facilitating better import scheduling and more efficient working capital management.Under the monthly installment system, eligible manufacturer importers can defer payment of import duties and clear goods without paying an advance, with duties settled on a monthly basis. The program also extends to MSMEs and is in line with the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, which aims to boost domestic manufacturing by improving liquidity and accelerating clearance of goods.Among the key benefits highlighted are improved liquidity, reduced residence time, enhanced import planning and inventory management, improved payment discipline, enhanced global competitiveness, and improved supply chain efficiency.To be eligible, a manufacturer importer must have a valid Export Import Code (IEC), submit at least 25 Export-Import Bank (EXIM) documents in the previous financial year (10 documents for MSMEs), remain GST compliant with no pending returns, and prove financial solvency along with a clean compliance record.Applications can be submitted online through the AEO portal, which has been operational since March 1, 2026, with the process now fully digital and requiring no physical interface.Approved applicants will be able to benefit from the program across all customs configurations from April 1, 2026. The system will remain in effect for two years until March 31, 2028.