This week for exporters: 30 Oct to 5 Nov 2026

The most useful change this week is for service exporters. On 2 November 2026 the RBI notified the Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2026, effective from 1 October 2026. Individual service exporters, and other service exporters receiving up to Rs 10 lakh per remittance, are now treated as having filed the export declaration (EDF) once they give their bank the payment details. Elsewhere it was a quiet week for new rules.

Rule changes

RBI: simpler EDF filing for small service exports

The Second Amendment (Notification FEMA 23(R)/(2)/2026-RB of 2 November 2026) adds two cases where a service exporter is deemed to have submitted the EDF:

• Resident individuals (freelancers, consultants, professionals working in their own name): deemed filing at any value, once they give their bank the details of the payment received so it can be credited.
• Everyone else (firms, LLPs, companies): deemed filing only when the inward remittance for the service is not more than Rs 10 lakh (or the foreign-currency equivalent).

The amendment applies from 1 October 2026, the date the new FEMA export and import regulations took effect. It does not change the rules for exports of goods. On the import side, IDPMS entries for service imports now apply only to importers other than resident individuals, where the invoice or contract value is above Rs 10 lakh.

Exportsmitra suggests: if you export services through a firm or company, check which of your receipts are over Rs 10 lakh and keep filing the EDF for those as before. Ask your bank how it will record deemed filings.

DGFT: agarwood export policy amended

DGFT Notification 46/2026-27 of 30 October 2026 amends the export policy for agarwood under Chapter 12 of Schedule 2 of the ITC (HS) export policy. Our alert this week explains the change, which allows exports of agarwood chips and agar oil through Guwahati airport.

DGFT: RELIEF sub-committee set up

DGFT Trade Notice 33/2026-27 of 30 October 2026 sets up a sub-committee for the RELIEF (Resilience and Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation) intervention under the Export Promotion Mission. It is an administrative step, so exporters do not need to do anything yet. Watch for follow-up trade notices on RELIEF support.

Customs: duty-free cotton imports extended

The duty exemption on cotton imports has been extended to 31 December 2026 (Customs Notification 35/2026). This matters for textile and apparel exporters who buy imported cotton. See our alert for details.

Market moves

• Going digital at DGFT: On 4 November 2026 Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal directed that all licence and permit applications and SCOMET approvals be fully online, with DGFT regional office records digitised by 31 March 2027. From 1 April 2027 these services should not need an in-person visit.
• Export momentum: Speaking on 3 November, Mr Goyal said exports grew about 14% year on year to around USD 480 billion in April to September 2026, and set a target of USD 1 trillion for this financial year.
• Denmark: On 4 November Mr Goyal met Danish Business Minister Martin Lidegaard to discuss wider trade and investment ties. No new tariff terms were announced.

Deadlines and dates to watch

Date

What

Open until 31 Dec 2026

Textile PLI application window (opened 1 November)

31 Dec 2026

RoDTEP and RoSCTL currently valid only up to this date. Watch for an extension notification.

31 Dec 2026

Duty-free cotton import window ends

16 Dec 2026

Scheduled signing of the India–EU FTA. It will not apply to shipments until it enters into force.

This week's alerts

• Monthly Data on India’s International Trade in Services for the Month of September 2026: The values of exports and imports of services during September 2026 are presented in the following table. International Trade in Services (US$ million) Month Receipts (Exports) Payments (Imports)…
• Agarwood chips and agar oil can now be exported through Guwahati airport (DGFT Notification 46/2026-27): DGFT has added LGBI Airport, Guwahati, to the ports allowed for exporting agarwood chips, powder and agar oil, so north-east exporters no longer need to route these shipments through a distant port…
• Duty-free cotton imports extended to 31 December 2026 (Customs Notification 35/2026): The basic customs duty and AIDC exemption on raw cotton (heading 5201), due to lapse on 31 October 2026, now runs to 31 December 2026. Textile and apparel exporters importing cotton keep the…

Sources

• RBI: FEMA (Export and Import of Goods and Services) (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (listed 3 Nov 2026)
• DGFT Notification 46/2026-27 dated 30 Oct 2026 (agarwood)
• DGFT Trade Notice 33/2026-27 dated 30 Oct 2026 (RELIEF sub-committee)
• PIB: Goyal inaugurates Vanijya Bhawan and Udyog Bhawan in Jaipur (4 Nov 2026)
• TaxGuru: text of FEMA 23(R)/(2)/2026-RB
• ANI via Daily Prabhat: Goyal on exports and trade agreements (3 Nov 2026)
• The Tribune: Goyal holds talks with Danish minister (4 Nov 2026)

Last checked: 5 November 2026.

Drafted with AI help from public sources.