Special Economic Zones

Proposals include allowing SEZ units to sell in the domestic market on a duty-foregone basis, accept rupee payments for services and undertake manufacturing for domestic firms

As the Centre reviews export promotion schemes, experts call for SEZ 2.0 reforms and shifting SEZ policy oversight to DGFT to better align with India's trade framework

The commerce ministry has called a meeting of stakeholders on June 30 to discuss issues related to special economic zones (SEZs), an official said. The meeting will focus on issues related to the harmonisation of export promotion schemes and SEZ reforms, the official said. The issues which are expected to figure in the deliberations include INR payment for SEZS to domestic tariff area (DTA) services; job work by units of these zones for DTA without linkage to exports, import substitution, reforms in the free trade warehousing zones, and further promoting ease of doing business in these enclaves. The government has set up a 17-member committee to suggest larger reforms in the policy for these zones. It is undertaking a background study focused on the harmonisation of various prevalent export promotion schemes, including SEZs, export-oriented units (EoUs), MOOWR (Manufacturing and Other Operations in Warehouse), Advance Authorisation (AA), EPCG (export promotion for capital goods), a

Despite global trade disruptions stemming from the West Asia conflict and the imposition of US tariffs, India's exports reached a record high of USD 863 billion in Financial Year 2025-26, a senior Commerce Ministry official said on Wednesday. "This has been a very difficult year, from US tariffs to West Asia crises, but despite that, we have proved that India is very resilient as far as the export ecosystem is concerned. India's total exports reached an all-time high of USD 863 billion in FY 2025-26," said Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce, Ajay Bhadoo. Bhadoo was speaking at the Outreach Programme: 12 years of achievements and progress of SEZs of Gujarat & vision of future" in Ahmedabad. He said India's overall exports have nearly doubled from approximately USD 441 billion to USD 863 billion over the last decade, led by sectors such as engineering goods, petroleum products, electronics, pharmaceuticals, gems & jewellery, and chemicals. He added that Gujarat ..

Most SEZ-to-DTA supplies may miss out on duty relief, with industry flagging limited benefits and lack of clarity in the Centre's one-time concession scheme

201 leaders run companies worth ₹31 trillion

Exporters are expected to encounter delayed payments, stretched receivable cycles, and cancelled orders due to the tariff shock

The government's optimistic special economic zone (SEZ) policy of 2005 provoked a rash of indiscriminate land acquisition that often defrauded farmers and land losers of rightful compensation

India has 276 operational SEZs with 6,275 units operating in them. Total investment in them is about ₹7.07 trillion and they employ about 3.19 million persons

The Rodtep scheme seeks to refund the duties/taxes/levies, at the Central, State and local level, borne on the exported product, including prior stage cumulative indirect taxes on goods

Move may be key to achieving Centre's goal of $11 billion space-related export by 2033

Scindia said that the manufacturing zone is the next step following the establishment of the one lakh BSNL towers across the country and the upgrade of 5G technology

Billionaire Gautam Adani's ports-to-energy conglomerate saw June quarter pre-tax profit surge by 33 per cent on back of strong performance by core infrastructure business as also emerging businesses ranging from solar and wind manufacturing to airports. "EBITDA (in April-June) surged by 32.87 per cent year-on-year to reach Rs 22,570 crore, resulting in a trailing twelve-month (TTM) EBITDA of Rs 79,180 crore, marking a 45.13 per cent increase over the corresponding TTM of the previous year," the group said in a statement. Group net profit jumped over 50 per cent to Rs 10,279 crore in April-June - the first quarter of the current 2024-25 fiscal year. "The consistently advancing EBITDA is largely driven by the Group's highly stable and resilient 'core infrastructure' platform, which constitutes over 80 per cent of the portfolio EBITDA and saw a remarkable 41.6 per cent growth year-on-year in Q1," it said. The core infrastructure platform comprises flagship Adani Enterprises Ltd's ...

Pakistan and China on Friday vowed to protect the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) from its "detractors and adversaries", as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang and assured Beijing of providing complete security to Chinese personnel working on the USD 65 billion project. Sharif is currently on a visit to China at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, seeking to upgrade cooperation under the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a key part of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative. In a statement, the Pakistan Prime Minister's Office said during the meeting, the two sides discussed the significance of Gwadar as an important pillar of the CPEC and agreed to expedite the timely completion of all related infrastructure projects to transform Gwadar in Balochistan province into a regional economic hub. "They also expressed their firm commitment to protect CPEC from its detractors and adversaries and to upgrade CPEC in the form of

The shifting sands of the South Asian trade landscape may be worthy of some serious reflection for India's regional trade strategy

The envisioned project aims to elevate VO Chidambaranar Port into the inaugural transshipment hub on India's East Coast

The government on Friday extended export benefits under the RoDTEP scheme to companies in the special economic zones (SEZs) and export-oriented units (EOUs). The commerce ministry said that amid global economic uncertainties and supply chain disruptions, extending RoDTEP benefits to the uncovered sectors like AA (advance authorisation), EOUs, and SEZ units will help the exporting community in handling the international headwinds. "The government has announced the extension of the RoDTEP scheme support to additional export sectors i.e. Advance Authorisation holders, Export Oriented Units and Special Economic Zones export units," the ministry said. This decision comes in recognition of the significant contribution these sectors make to India's exports, constituting about 25 per cent of the total shipment. The government, in August 2021, announced the rates of tax refunds under the export promotion scheme -- Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) -- for 8,555 ...

Grand Design: New SEZ rules and rising GCC leasing set to elevate occupancies and rentals, benefiting Reits and office-focused developers

The commerce ministry has decided to extend export benefits under the RoDTEP scheme for companies in the special economic zones (SEZs) and export oriented units (EOUs). This decision was communicated to the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) on February 16. The DGFT may issue a formal notification soon amending the foreign trade policy on the same. "Post rolling out of ICEGATE (Indian Customs Electronic Data Interchange Gateway) in SEZs, the RoDTEP scheme may also be extended to SEZs," according to an office memorandum of the commerce ministry. The government in August 2021, announced the rates of tax refunds under export promotion scheme -- Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP), for 8,555 products such as marine goods, yarn and dairy items. As SEZs and EOUs were kept out of the scheme in the list notified that time, the industry was demanding to include them in the scheme. Under RoDTEP, various central and state duties, taxes, and levies imposed on in

Rather than solely focusing on boosting exports, India should aim to become a global supplier of key components