Tnc Rajagopalan

Tough India-US trade discussions amidst irritants over tariff tensions

In March this year, soon after the US raised its duties on steel and aluminium, China and Canada proposed retaliatory tariffs against imports from the US

Retail sets must be classified according to their essential characteristics

Firstly, the brush you supply has no stand-alone utility or commercial value since it can be used only as an accessory for applying the hair-dye

Trade discussions proceed undisturbed by India-Pakistan hostilities

The UK-US trade pact is significant because it is the first deal after President Trump imposed reciprocal tariffs in the beginning of last month

Critical minerals: Global challenge to China dominance gains pace

China has 44 per cent of the known rare earth deposits that contain such critical minerals

No relief from QCO for inputs imported under advance authorisation scheme

Rajagopalan answers SME queries related to GST, export and import matters

Pahalgam attack: Short-term impact of India-Pak actions not too significant

Generally, political and economic measures do not bring about significant changes in policy or behaviour unless they sting the other party enough

RBI draft directions for exports envisage more powers to authorised dealers

In a significant departure from the practice of giving detailed guidelines, the draft direction merely provides a list of RBI regulations that authorised dealers (ADs) must follow

Goods exempted under notifications can be brought into bonded warehouses

RBI itself allows initial period of 9 months to realise export proceeds

Reciprocal tariffs: Customs scrutiny to get more strict everywhere

The exporters using any inputs from China should now be wary of the US Customs

US tariffs: Exporters must be ready to prove origin of goods to Customs

Rules of origin (RoO) are used by most countries to implement measures such as anti-dumping duties and anti-subsidy countervailing duties

Remittance to foreign print media for ads allowed from EEFC account

Rajagopalan answers SME queries related to GST, export and import matters

India's export performance remains uninspiring amid weak global position

In 2015, the government said that it aims to increase India's exports of merchandise and services from $465.9 billion in 2013-14 to approximately $900 billion

All EOU, AAH, SEZ exports during extended period should get Rodtep benefits

Rodtep scheme seeks to refund the duties/taxes/levies, at Central, State and local level, borne on manufacture and distribution of the exported product, which are not rebated through any other schemes

'Merchanting trade' includes supply of goods within same foreign country

The CBEC Circular no.38/97-Customs dated 19th September 1997 says that any group company having status recognition as 'export house' under the FTP can give the corporate guarantee

How ICEGATE is making the functioning of EOUs and SEZs difficult

The implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime imposed heavy costs on the trade due to unpreparedness of the GST Network, the digital platform, to handle the processes

CBIC must re-examine, clarify on non-duty paid inputs for drawback

Section 75(1) of the Customs Act, 1962, allows drawback of the Customs and Central Excise paid on the inputs used in the manufacture or processing of the export products

Chatroom: EOU exemption on inputs unavailable for services not exported

You should prepare an e-way bill for sending the goods to the consignee, as instructed by the foreign buyer

US President Donald Trump and tariffs unnerve equity, bond markets

Given the prospects of global economic slowdown and fragmentation of global trade, India is rushing to work out some sort of trade deal or the other with UK, EU and US

Useful initiatives from CBIC to simplify trade for importers, exporters

The CBIC Customs Manual 2025 explains in simpler words the role of the Customs, various legal provisions and gives the gist of relevant departmental instructions till February 1

Customs should not act while redemption application is pending with DGFT

Rule 53 of the SEZ Rules, 2006 has no provision to count any supply from a SEZ unit to a bonded warehouse as earnings for the purpose of NFE calculations