Flyers to declare 'drones' in new customs form from April 1

Drones, which are being considered a major security risk as they could be used by terror groups for mounting assaults, have been included in the prohibited list, and flyers entering India will have to declare them from April 1.

The government has decided to revise 'Indian Customs Declaration Form' to include drones in the list of prohibited and dutiable goods and made it mandatory for the passengers to declare.

Drones are generally imported by government agencies for use by the security personnel in maintaining law and order as well as ensuring vigil along the international borders and line of control with Pakistan, Bangladesh and China. They have also been used for surveillance in Naxal-hit areas.

The need for all flyers to fill the customs form upon their arrival has been done away with and those who carry dutiable or prohibited goods alone will have to fill it in, as per the new rules.

Foreigners' duty free allowance has also been increased to Rs 15,000 from the existing limit of Rs 8,000.

The duty free allowance of cigarettes, cigars and tobacco has been doubled and people will be able to bring in 200 sticks of cigarettes, 50 cigars and 250 gms of tobacco.

The NDA government had in July 2014 halved the duty free allowance to 125 cigarettes, 25 cigars and 125 gms of tobacco, which is continuing till date.

There has been no change in duty-free import of two litres of alcoholic liquor or wines.

The limit to bring duty-free goods worth Rs 6,000 for passengers of Indian origin and coming from China has also been taken away. However, the free allowance for people coming from Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar has been increased to Rs 15,000, more than two times of the limit of Rs 6,000 at present.

The increase in allowance will be applicable for journey by air. Those coming to India from land borders will not be able to get any amount of free allowance.

The monetary limit for passengers of Indian origin coming from other than those three countries has also been increased. Now such passengers can bring duty free goods worth Rs 50,000 instead of Rs 45,000 at present.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has proposed these changes in his budget for 2016-17 and it will come into effect from April 1.

In order to check gold smuggling, the government has decided to put a cap on gold jewellery being brought by Indian passengers who have been residing abroad for over one year.

A male passenger can bring gold jewellery of upto 20 gms with a value cap of Rs 50,000 and woman can carry 40 gms of gold jewellery with a value cap of Rs one lakh. 

The customs form currently has fields for declaration of dutiable and prohibited goods, gold jewellery and bullion (over free allowance), satellite phone, foreign currency notes exceeding USD 5,000 or equivalent and Indian currency exceeding Rs 25,000.

The passengers also need to mention about meat, meat products, fish, dairy and poultry products, seeds, plants, fruits, flowers, other planting material etc in the existing customs form.

Further, they had to report to 'Red Channel' for payment of duty if they were carrying any such items.

The new rules will also apply to the members of the crew of a vessel or an aircraft and they will be allowed to bring articles like chocolates, cheese, cosmetics and other petty gift items for their personal or family use which shall not exceed the value of Rs 1,500.