Budget 2026: CBIC Seeks to amend the Deferred Payment of Import Duty Regulations, 2016 to extend duty deferral facilities for trusted entities from 15 to 30 days.
The Central Government, through Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, has notified the Deferred Payment of Import Duty (Amendment) Rules, 2026 via Notification No. 13/2026-Customs (N.T.), dated 1 February 2026. Issued under sections 47(1) and 156 of the Customs Act, 1962, the amendment revises Rule 4 of the Deferred Payment of Import Duty Rules, 2016 and will come into force from 1 March 2026. The amended provisions streamline the timeline for payment of deferred import duty by shifting to a monthly payment framework. For goods covered by Bills of Entry returned for payment from the 1st day to the last day of any month other than March, the deferred duty must now be paid by the 1st day of the immediately following month. In a specific carve-out for the month of March, duty for Bills of Entry returned for payment between 1 March and 31 March must be paid by 31 March itself. The amendment replaces the earlier clauses entirely, providing clearer and more predictable timelines for deferred duty payments.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE)
(CENTRAL BOARD OF INDIRECT TAXES AND CUSTOMS)
Notification No. 13/2026-Customs (N.T.) | Dated: 1st February, 2026
G.S.R….(E). – In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to sub-section (1) of section 47 and section 156 of the Customs Act, 1962 (52 of 1962), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Deferred Payment of Import Duty Rules, 2016, namely: —
1. Short title and commencement: – (1) These rules may be called the Deferred Payment of Import Duty (Amendment) Rules, 2026.
(2) They shall come into force on the 1st day of March, 2026.
2. In the Deferred Payment of Import Duty Rules, 2016, in rule 4, for clauses (a) to (c), the following clauses shall be substituted, namely:—
“(a) for goods corresponding to Bill of Entry returned for payment from 1st day to the last day of any month other than March, the duty shall be paid by the 1st day of the following month;
(b) for goods corresponding to Bill of Entry returned for payment from 1st day to 31st day of March, the duty shall be paid by 31st March.”.
[F. No 450/04/2026- Cus IV]
(Anurima Sharma) Director (Customs)
Note: The principal rules were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i), dated the 2nd November, 2016 vide number G.S.R. 1037 (E ), dated the 2nd November, 2016 and was last amended vide number G.S.R. 585 (E), dated the 3rd August, 2023.
