Govt notifies new baggage rules; duty-free limit hiked to ₹75,000

The government on Sunday raised the limit for passengers bringing duty-free imported goods into India from ₹50,000 to ₹75,000.

Under the Baggage Rules, 2026, notified on Sunday, a resident or a tourist of Indian origin arriving in India other than by land, shall be allowed clearance free of duty articles, up to ₹75,000, if such articles are carried on the person or in the bona fide accompanied baggage of the passenger.

The new baggage rules, 2026, come into effect from midnight on February 2 and replace a decade-old baggage rule.

A tourist of foreign origin, not being an infant, arriving in India, shall be allowed duty-free clearance of articles up to the value of ₹25,000. This limit was ₹15,000 in the Baggage Rule, 2016.

 

In case of a resident or tourist of Indian origin residing abroad for more than 1 year, on return to India shall be allowed duty-free clearance of jewellery upto a weight of 40 grams, if brought by a female passenger. The limit will be 20 grams if brought by anyone other than a female passenger in bona fide baggage.

Jewellery, for the purpose of this Rule, means articles of adornment ordinarily worn by a person, made of gold, silver, platinum or such other precious metals, whether studded or not.