The government’s move is part of the next phase of reform of the faceless customs system, introduced to eliminate physical interface, improve transparency and create a technology-driven clearance mechanism.
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The proposed standard operating procedures (SOPs) will lay down product and origin specific assessment guidelines for faceless customs, reducing the number of queries per bill of entry to three and making assessment officers accountable for any delay to bring greater consistency in decisions taken by customs formations.
The government expects the SOP-led approach to reduce transaction costs, improve ease of doing business and ensure that India’s trade agreements deliver tangible benefits to industry.
The government has been working towards reducing friction points that could limit the utilisation of FTA benefits for the last four months.
Officials said the new SOPs will provide a common reference for National Assessment Centres (NACs), helping reduce divergent practices and avoid unnecessary disputes.”The objective is to ensure that the assessment process is predictable, fast, and uniform, irrespective of the port or customs formation handling the bill of entry,” a senior official told ET.
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The official added that initially the department will start with 100 items and then will eventually add more products as the system evolves.
The Directorate General of Systems has now been tasked with improving data access, strengthening MIS systems and making pendency monitoring more effective.
A unified grievance redressal architecture is also being planned, with customs zones expected to create dedicated grievance cells, submit regular reports and conduct periodic reviews.
“The reform agenda is not only about faster clearances but also about making customs decisions consistent and legally robust,” another official said.
The SOP framework assumes importance as India has recently concluded major trade agreements, including the India-UK Free Trade Agreement, where effective customs implementation is critical for companies to access negotiated tariff concessions.
Differences in interpretation across customs locations have led to uncertainty over classification, valuation and documentation requirements, increasing compliance costs and delaying cargo clearance.
Industry bodies have pointed to challenges such as repeated queries from customs authorities, delays in finalising assessments, additional documentation requirements and uncertainty over valuation approaches.
Importers have repeatedly raised concerns over varying assessments for similar products across different ports, especially in sectors involving complex tariff classifications and rules of origin requirements.
During discussions around the India-UK trade pact, both sides had highlighted the need for a smoother operational framework to ensure that rules of origin, documentation and preferential tariff claims are processed efficiently.