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Informist, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026

--BUDGET: To set up single digital window by year-end for cargo clearance 

--BUDGET: Quicker cargo clearance for food, drugs, animal pdts from Apr 1 
--BUDGET: New framework to allow cargo clearance for food, drugs, animal pdts 
--BUDGET: To minimise cargo verification process for regular importers 
--BUDGET: To launch coastal cargo promotion scheme 

--BUDGET: Customs integrated system in 2 yrs as single platform for all steps 
--BUDGET: To change customs warehouse framework to warehouse operating system 
--BUDGET: To give sops to AEOs; no compliance burden for customs clearance 
--BUDGET: Propose measures to smoothen customs process 

NEW DELHI – The government aims to set up a single digital window by the end of the next financial year for seamless cargo clearance from various government agencies, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in Parliament Sunday while presenting the Budget for 2026-27 (Apr-Mar). The minister proposed several other measures related to customs and cargo clearance to promote ease of doing. 

"Processes involved in clearance of food, drugs, plant, animal & wildlife products, accounting for around 70% of interdicted cargo, will be operationalised on this system by April 2026 itself," Sitharaman said. "For goods not having any compliance requirement, clearance will be done by Customs (Department) immediately after online registration is completed by the importer, subject to the payment of duty."

In the next two years, the government aims to have a single, integrated and scalable platform for all customs processes, called Customs Integrated System. The minister suggested government agencies leverage Authorised Economic Operators accreditation for preferential treatment in clearing their cargo. 

"The Customs warehousing framework will be transformed into a warehouse operator-centric system with self-declarations, electronic tracking and risk-based audit," Sitharaman said. "These reforms will move away from the current system of officer-dependent approvals, and reduce transaction delays and compliance costs."

To encourage trust-based systems, the government aims to minimise the cargo verification process for regular importers with longstanding supply chains. "Export cargo using electronic sealing will be provided through clearance from the factory premises to the ship," the finance minister said. 

Sitharaman also proposed a Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme to incentivise a modal shift from rail and road, to increase the share of inland waterways and coastal shipping from 6% to 12% by 2047. She also proposed operationalising 20 new National Waterways over the next 5 years, and establishing new dedicated freight corridors connecting Dankuni in the east, to Surat in the west.  End

Reported by Krity Ambey

Edited by Vandana Hingorani

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