India is reviewing customs relief for 118 goods ahead of the 2027-28 budget, The Economic Times reported, as ministries seek industry data on domestic output, imports, capacity and investment plans.
The outlet divided the reported total into 32 products with concessions or concessional rates facing statutory review and 86 goods with unconditional exemptions. The highest basic customs duty rate among the items reaches 30%, the report said, but it did not match rates to individual goods. Together, the groups account for the reported 118 items.
Examples cited include fish oil, shuttleless looms, open cells used in interactive flat-panel displays, components for panel display modules, textile machinery and materials for power projects. The report also named battery scrap, certain photovoltaic cells, drugs and optical-fiber cables.
Unconditional exemptions include fuel oil, urea, some medicines, stents and probiotics. The report also placed waste or scrap involving lithium-ion batteries, gallium and germanium in that category.
The Economic Times said ministries are asking industry whether the relief should continue, be withdrawn or lapse. A person familiar with the discussions told the outlet that industry should support its position with detailed justification based on local production, imports, current capacity and planned investment. An official cited in the report described duty reviews as a routine means of addressing duty inversion and encouraging manufacturing in India.
Separately, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s 2026-27 budget speech set out broader customs goals. It described proposals to streamline tariffs, strengthen domestic producers, improve exporters’ competitiveness and address duty inversion. The speech also proposed ending some long-standing exemptions when goods are made in India or imports are negligible. It did not identify the products in the review reported by The Economic Times.
The newspaper reported that the Indian government had not publicly confirmed the product list. The concessions are due to expire on March 31 or Sept. 30, 2027, the outlet reported.
