Five firms in race to build India's new Customs Integrated System for trade

LTTS, Wipro, IBM India, TCS and Infosys are competing to build India's Customs Integrated System, a unified AI-powered platform for faster trade clearances

L&T Technology Services (LTTS), Wipro, IBM India, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and Infosys are in the race for a contract to build the country’s new digital backbone for cross-border trade, which will combine multiple existing systems into a single interface, according to two people with direct knowledge of the matter. 

The central government is expected to invite bids for building the Customs Integrated System (CIS) for all Customs processes in about 15 days, said a government official, one of the two persons cited above. The idea is to make export-import clearances faster and more efficient and reduce the cost of trade. 

A request for proposal (RFP) will be issued to these five companies, which have been shortlisted based on their expressions of interest (EoIs). It may take three to four months to evaluate the technical and financial bids as part of the RFP process and finalise the successful bidder, the official added. 

IBM India and LTTS declined to comment on the development, while Wipro, TCS and Infosys did not respond to queries until the time of going to press. 

An email sent to the Ministry of Finance seeking comment remained unanswered until the publication of this report.

The procurement process comes months after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in her 2026-27 Budget speech that the government would roll out CIS over the next two years as a single, integrated and scalable platform for all Customs processes. 

She also said the use of advanced non-intrusive imaging and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies would be scaled up to scan every container across all major ports.  

The proposed platform will integrate existing Customs technology platforms, including the Indian Customs Electronic Gateway (ICEGATE), the Risk Management System (RMS) and the Indian Customs Electronic Data Interchange System (ICES), into a single platform. 

“At present, these systems operate on different software platforms and do not seamlessly communicate with one another, leading to duplication of processes, manual intervention and delays in cargo clearance,” said another official. 

Vivek Johri, former chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), said CIS would enable a seamless interface between Customs authorities and all ports and border management agencies. 

“For users, this will mean a single interface with Customs regardless of whether the transaction they wish to carry out is import, export or transhipment, or the mode is cargo, courier or postal. Coupled with the deployment of AI and machine learning (ML), the system would be able to prompt users to feed accurate data, auto-populate documents and exchange data with other agencies on a real-time basis,” said Johri. “In a nutshell, it would mean a better filing experience and savings in time and cost for users, along with the availability of high-quality data and sharper risk profiling for the administration.” 

He further said: “A major challenge would be to deliver the project in a time-bound manner and ensure seamless migration of users and data to the new system.” 

Rajat Mohan, partner, AMRG Global, said the proposed CIS would be a significant milestone in India’s Customs modernisation journey and this reflects the government’s broader push towards digitalisation and technology-led governance. 

“The new platform has the potential to transform cargo clearance by leveraging AI, data analytics and risk-based assessment, allowing customs authorities to focus human intervention only where necessary, while routine clearances are increasingly handled through intelligent systems. This will enhance transparency, reduce transaction costs, improve ease of doing business and strengthen India’s competitiveness in global trade,” said Mohan. 

However, he said execution would be critical. “Seamless integration of legacy systems, accurate migration of historical data and ensuring uninterrupted customs operations during the transition will be critical. A phased implementation, robust testing and continuous stakeholder engagement will be essential to ensure that the new system delivers its intended benefits without disrupting trade.”

 

A digital backbone

• LTTS, Wipro, IBM India, TCS, and Infosys in the fray to build Customs Integrated System (CIS)
• New platform to merge ICEGATE, RMS and ICES into a single interface
• CIS aims to speed up clearances, cut trade costs and improve ease of doing business
• AI, data analytics and automation to enable smarter risk assessment and faster cargo processing