Star Export House Certification

An Importer Exporter Code (IEC) is a 10-digit identification number issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. It is the primary business identification number required for any person or business engaged in import or export of goods and services.

IEC is mandatory because no import or export can be made without it (unless specifically exempted under the Foreign Trade Policy). It is required for Customs clearance, DGFT scheme applications, and receiving or making foreign trade payments through banks.

Key documents for import-export operations in India include:

• Shipping Bill (for exports) or Bill of Entry (for imports) — filed with Customs for clearance.
• Commercial Invoice cum Packing List — details of goods, quantity, value, and packaging.
• Bill of Lading / Air Waybill — transport document issued by the carrier.
• Certificate of Origin (COO) — certifies the country of origin, needed for FTA benefits and some import requirements.
• IEC Code — the importer/exporter identification number.
• GST Invoice / LUT — for GST compliance on exports.
• FSSAI Certificate — for food and agricultural imports.
• BIS Certificate / NOC — for products under mandatory BIS certification.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) is the apex government body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry responsible for formulating and implementing India's Foreign Trade Policy (FTP). Its key roles include:

• Issuing and managing Importer Exporter Codes (IEC)
• Administering export incentive schemes: Advance Authorisation, EPCG, RoDTEP, RoSCTL, SEIS
• Granting export licences for restricted and SCOMET items
• Issuing import licences for restricted items
• Recognising Star Export Houses (status holders)
• Fixing Standard Input Output Norms (SION)

Every Indian exporter and importer must interact with DGFT at some point — whether for obtaining an IEC, applying for export incentives, or seeking licences for restricted goods.

India's import policy is classified under the ITC(HS) Classification of Export and Import Items published by DGFT. Every item has an import policy designation:

• Free: Can be imported without any licence.
• Restricted: Requires a specific import licence from DGFT before import.
• Prohibited: Cannot be imported under any circumstances (e.g., beef in some categories).
• Canalised: Can only be imported by government-designated agencies.

You can check the policy on the DGFT website by your ITC(HS) code, or contact Samarth EXIM for a free preliminary import policy check for your specific product.

Both are export promotion schemes under India's Foreign Trade Policy, but they serve different purposes:

• Advance Authorisation (AA): Allows duty-free import of raw materials and inputs that are physically used in manufacturing export goods. The export obligation is the value of goods exported. Applicable before production.
• EPCG (Export Promotion Capital Goods): Allows duty-free import of capital goods (machinery, equipment, tools) used in production of export goods. The export obligation is 6 times the duty saved, over 6 years.

They can be used together — EPCG for capital goods and Advance Authorisation for input materials — giving double duty savings on both machinery and raw materials.