Alerts & Updates 29th Apr 2025
Dear Reader,
We are writing to you with an important update concerning the SCOMET policy for export of SCOMET items for ‘Testing and Evaluation’ purposes.
| Background | The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) maintains the SCOMET list, which includes dual-use items – goods, software, and technologies that can be used for both civilian and military applications, including weapons of mass destruction. The list is organized into eight (8) categories. Export of SCOMET items is permitted only with export authorization, unless the item is specifically exempted or prohibited.
Currently, the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP), read with para 10.13 of the Handbook of Procedures (HBP), prescribes the process for obtaining export authorizations for SCOMET items (excluding those under Categories 0, 1, 2, and 6, or for ‘Technology’ or ‘Software’ in any category) intended for demo, display, exhibition, tenders, RFPs, RFQs, or NITs. Exporters are required to submit applications in the prescribed format along with supporting documents. |
| Scope of Proposed Amendment | The DGFT, vide Trade Notice No. 03/2025-2026 dated 23 April 2025 has proposed the following changes to the existing policy governing export of SCOMET items for demo/display/exhibition/tender/RFP/RFQ/NIT:
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| Way Forward/What should companies do? | Stakeholders have 10 days (i.e., until 3 May 2025) from the date of the Trade Notice to submit their comments. These may be emailed to scomet-dgft@gov.in.
Until the proposed amendments are officially notified, the current procedures under the FTP and HBP remain in force. Exporters must continue to follow the existing process to obtain export authorizations, including submitting applications in the prescribed format to the DGFT. The applicable procedure is available here. |
For any queries or comments on this update, please feel free to contact us at elptrade@elp-in.com or the authors: sanjaynotani@elp-in.com, ambarishsathianathan@elp-in.com, harikabakaraju@elp-in.com and shantanusingh@elp-in.com.
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