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In a major step towards enhancing the ease of doing business and fostering a fully paperless trade environment, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has made online submissions and digital payments mandatory for enforcement and adjudication proceedings under The Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 (FTD&R Act).
This transformative move will significantly benefit pharmaceutical exporters and the Pharma Export Promotion Council by streamlining regulatory processes, ensuring greater transparency, and reducing bureaucratic delays. The pharmaceutical industry stands to gain from improved efficiency and compliance mechanisms.
Under the new mandate, all responses to Show Cause Notices, adjudications, appeals, and reviews must be submitted exclusively through the DGFT portal. Paper-based submissions will no longer be accepted, reducing administrative overhead and expediting decision-making. Additionally, all penalties under the FTD&R Act must be paid online via the Enforcement-cum-Adjudication (ECA), Appeal, or Review file system, ensuring accurate accounting and seamless compliance.
To facilitate this transition, DGFT has provided detailed ECA-related help manuals on its official website under the ‘Learn’ section, enabling exporters to navigate the new digital processes smoothly.
This initiative is expected to cut down turnaround times and enhance trade efficiency. Industry experts highlight that digitisation will not only simplify business operations but also enhance transparency, minimise errors, and improve compliance tracking.
This digital shift aligns with the government’s broader vision of strengthening India’s export competitiveness through a tech-driven regulatory ecosystem. By eliminating paperwork, the initiative reaffirms India’s commitment to digital governance and trade facilitation, further improving the country’s ease of doing business rankings.
Pharma exporters and industry stakeholders are encouraged to adopt these digital processes for seamless operations. For more details, exporters can visit the DGFT portal or contact the relevant authorities for guidance, according to Arjun Upadhya, Deputy Director General of Foreign Trade.
