Centre eases export compliance for shipments up to Rs 3 lakh, seeks 5-year RoDTEP extension

New Delhi: Exporters will not be required to obtain Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) for shipments valued up to ₹3 lakh, thereby reducing compliance burden for new and small players, the Centre said Wednesday.

The move will also facilitate outbound shipments through postal, courier and other emerging channels, the commerce and industry ministry said, adding that consignments up to $3,000 account for 43% of shipping bills but only 0.86% of India's total merchandise export value. This certificate establishes that an exporter is registered with the relevant export body.

Also Read: India considers cutting vegetable oil import taxes as prices climb


It added that this will enable emerging exporters to test overseas markets and establish an export track record with lower initial compliance requirements. "As exporters expand their operations and their consignments move beyond the ₹3 lakh threshold, they can obtain membership of the relevant Export Promotion Councils or Commodity Boards and access export promotion, market access and other institutional support services," the ministry said in a statement.

Export Programme

The ministry has sought a five-year extension of the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme for exporters, the budget allocation for which was ₹18,232 crore in FY26. The budget for the scheme for this fiscal was ₹10,000 crore.

The scheme will end on September 30. "Based on last year's expenditure...we are already in discussions with the department of expenditure on that framework, and I am sure the government is examining it, and we will ensure that there is predictability to it," said an official.

Also Read: India clears 642-car import quota from UK under India-UK trade agreement

Launched in 2021, the scheme provides for a refund of taxes, duties and levies that are incurred by exporters in the process of manufacturing and distribution of goods, and not being reimbursed under any other mechanism at the Centre, state or local level. Refunds under the scheme range from 0.3-3.9%. The official said that the commerce and industry ministry is ready to make changes to the rules or components of the ₹25,060-crore Export Promotion Mission based on feedback from exporters.

There are 11 components in the scheme of which two are getting healthy traction - Interest Subvention for Pre- and Post-Shipment Export Credit and Market Access Support (MAS). When asked if the ministry is ready to make some changes to make the other components attractive, the official said: "We are more than ready to tweak. If we get feedback from the field, we would like to examine it".

A framework for Brand India is being developed, as a framework for 'Sectoral Brand India' for which the ministry has issued circulars regarding factoring services and is in discussions with the factoring service providers, the official added.