The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, has issued Public Notice No. 16/2026-27 dated 2nd June, 2026, amending Para 2.88 of the Handbook of Procedures (HBP) 2023. The amendment has been made in exercise of powers conferred under paragraphs 1.03 and 2.04 of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023, as amended from time to time.
The amendment is complementary to Public Notice No. 15/2026-27 of the same date, which notified the list of agencies authorised to issue Preferential Certificates of Origin under the India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Together, these two Public Notices operationalise the preferential trade certification mechanism for India-Oman CEPA.
Amendment to Para 2.88(a) of HBP 2023 — Key Change:
Under Para 2.88(a) of the Handbook of Procedures (HBP) 2023, which enumerates the list of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) under which Preferential Certificates of Origin (CoO) can be issued, a new entry at Serial No. xvi has been inserted after the existing list of FTAs, as follows:
“xvi. India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (India-Oman CEPA)”
Effect of the Public Notice:
Para 2.88(a) of the Handbook of Procedures (HBP) 2023 has been amended to facilitate Indian exporters in obtaining the Certificate of Origin (CoO) under the India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) through the system of issuance of Certificates of Origin by authorised agencies. With this inclusion, India-Oman CEPA now formally figures in the HBP 2023 procedural framework governing preferential CoO issuance, enabling exporters to claim preferential tariff benefits in the Omani market.
Background:
Para 2.88 of the Handbook of Procedures 2023 lays down the procedural guidelines for the issuance of Preferential Certificates of Origin under various Free Trade Agreements and Preferential Trade Agreements entered into by India. The insertion of India-Oman CEPA at S. No. xvi under Para 2.88(a) ensures that the procedural provisions for CoO issuance are formally extended to cover exports under this bilateral agreement. The India-Oman CEPA aims to deepen economic ties between India and Oman and provide enhanced market access to Indian exporters across a wide range of goods and services.
The Public Notice can be accessed at: https://a2ztaxcorp.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/public-notice-16-2026-27.pdf
