In a major step towards digital trade facilitation, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India has issued Trade Notice No. 06/2026-2027, dated May 29, 2026, mandating the electronic filing and issuance of Preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO) under the India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (India-Oman CEPA) with effect from June 01, 2026.
India-Oman CEPA Comes into Force: eCOO to Roll Out on Trade Connect ePlatform
Upon the coming into force of the India-Oman CEPA on June 01, 2026, Preferential Certificates of Origin for exports to Oman under the Agreement will be rolled out on the Trade Connect ePlatform (www.trade.gov.in) — India’s unified digital platform for the application and issuance of all electronic Certificates of Origin (eCOO) for Indian exports.
As per the agreed terms of the India-Oman CEPA, the eCOO will be available via the ‘Certificate of Origin’ service on the Trade Connect ePlatform and will be issued on the basis of an authorised agency.
Key Points for Issuance of Preferential eCOO under India-Oman CEPA
The Trade Notice lays down the following key points for issuance of Preferential eCOO under the India-Oman CEPA through authorised agencies:
- Agreement Selection: Applicants may proceed with the application by selecting the agreement name as ‘India Oman CEPA (Agency Issued)’ on the Trade Connect ePlatform.
- Authorised Agencies: The list of authorised agencies as per the terms of the India-Oman CEPA, duly notified, will be available for selection by applicants on the platform.
- Electronic Copy with QR Code: Upon submission of the completed application and approval by the authorised agency, an ‘Electronic Copy’ of the eCOO bearing a QR code and digital signature will be generated by the system.
- Digital Signature and Stamp: The ‘Electronic Copy’ shall bear the image of the signature of the issuing officer as well as the stamp of the issuing agency, which can be downloaded and utilised by the applicant.
Common Guidelines for IEC Holders and Applicants
The Trade Notice prescribes the following common guidelines to be followed by all Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) holders and associated users/applicants:
- Login Credentials: Existing user credentials for the DGFT website (www.dgft.gov.in) may be used for login on the Trade Connect ePlatform (www.trade.gov.in) without the need to create new login credentials.
- Additional User Accounts: Additional user accounts for the same IEC, if necessary, may be created and linked using a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) on www.dgft.gov.in, and the same credentials can be used on Trade Connect ePlatform for filing/generating eCOO.
- Digital Signature Types: The types of digital signatures accepted in the DGFT common digital ecosystem and the process of linking DSC to IEC can be accessed at www.dgft.gov.in under the ‘Learn’ tab → ‘Application Help and FAQs’ → ‘IEC Profile Management’ section.
- Profile Matching: All users must ensure that their name in the DGFT/Trade Connect user profile matches completely with the name in the Digital Signature Certificate (DSC).
- Updated IEC Details: All IEC holders must ensure that updated details related to the IEC are available in the DGFT system so that the correct details are available for selection during the application for eCOO.
Verification Mechanism for Authorities
Authorities requiring verification of the genuineness of a CoO presented to them by exporters may visit the Trade Connect ePlatform (https://trade.gov.in) → Certificate of Origin → Verify Certificate, and enter the CoO Number to verify its authenticity. This will display the details of the CoO issued on the platform corresponding to the CoO Number entered.
Support Channels for Exporters
Exporters and trade stakeholders requiring assistance on the eCOO module may reach out to the DGFT Helpdesk through the following channels:
- Toll-Free Assistance: DGFT Helpdesk toll-free numbers.
- Email Inquiries: coo-dgft@gov.in
The Trade Notice can be accessed at: https://a2ztaxcorp.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/tn-3-1.pdf
