West Asia crisis: Govt restores full RoDTEP benefits to exporters till Mar 31

New Delhi:  The government on Monday restored full benefits under the RoDTEP scheme to exporters till March 31 amidst the ongoing West Asia crisis disrupting global trade.

Last month, the government halved the rate of duty benefits under the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme. The exporting community expressed disappointment and had sought reconsideration of the decision.

“The RoDTEP rates and value caps as specified…as applicable on February 22, 2026, are hereby restored with effect from February 23, 2026, to March 31, 2026, for all eligible export products,” the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification.

“Recent developments in West Asia have led to challenges in maritime logistics, including changes in routing and transit patterns. These have had an impact on logistics costs and shipping schedules for export consignments moving to or through the region. In view of the evolving geopolitical situation and its implications for maritime trade, the Government of India has decided to restore the rates,” stated the Ministry of Commerce in its release.

Last month, the government halved the rate of duty benefits under the RoDTEP Scheme. The exporting community expressed disappointment and had sought reconsideration of the decision. The budget allocation under the RoDTEP scheme for 2025-26 was Rs 18,232 crore. It was proposed to increase to Rs 21,709 crore in 2026-27. But the budget allocated was Rs 10,000 crore.

Under the RoDTEP scheme, the government refunds some of the customs duties exporters pay for imports of goods used to produce items for exports.

Due to the ongoing West Asia crisis, the freight rates have gone up considerably, putting pressure on the exporters. Alongside, the insurance premiums have also been rising due to the crisis. The government launched the RELIEF scheme last week to aid the exporters and assured further assistance to help them cope with the situation.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *