The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, has directed Customs formations to ensure compliance with the newly introduced statutory requirement of an Import Permit for insecticides imported for non-insecticidal purposes. The direction has been issued vide Instruction No. 18/2026-Customs dated October 1, 2026.
Import Permit Now a Statutory Requirement under Insecticides Rules, 1971
CBIC has referred to the communication received from the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage (DPPQ&S), Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, concerning the Gazette Notification dated July 8, 2026, whereby the Insecticides Rules, 1971 were amended through the Insecticides Third (Amendment) Rules, 2026. The amendment makes an Import Permit mandatory where substances covered under the Schedule to the Insecticides Act, 1968 are proposed to be imported for non-insecticidal use.
All Scheduled Substances Imported for Non-Insecticidal Use Covered
The Registration Committee, in its 474th Meeting held on July 30, 2026, observed that the amended Rules are statutory in nature and have the force of law. Accordingly, all applicants proposing to import any substance included in the Schedule to the Insecticides Act, 1968 for non-insecticidal purposes are required to obtain the prescribed Import Permit.
Requirement Specifically Extends to Acrylonitrile
CBIC has specifically clarified that the Import Permit requirement is applicable even in the case of acrylonitrile proposed to be imported for non-insecticidal use. The Registration Committee noted that, following the statutory amendment of the Insecticides Rules, 1971, compliance with the permit requirement is mandatory for all such substances, including acrylonitrile.
Applications to Be Filed in Prescribed Form IA
Under the amended Rules, an application for import of an insecticide for non-insecticidal purpose is required to be made to the Registration Committee in Form IA. The prescribed form seeks details including the applicant and premises, name and minimum purity of the substance, source of import, intended manufacturing use, licensed and installed capacity, annual quantity proposed to be imported and other supporting particulars.
₹5,000 Application Fee Prescribed
The application for grant of an Import Permit is required to be accompanied by a fee of ₹5,000. The Registration Committee has also been empowered to conduct an enquiry to verify the information furnished by the applicant before deciding the application.
Import Permit Generally Valid for One Year
The Rules provide that an Import Permit granted for non-insecticidal use will ordinarily be valid for one year. However, where an applicant holds a certificate of registration for the pesticide for which the imported goods are intended to be used as raw material, the accompanying guidelines provide for a three-year validity of the Import Permit.
Registration Committee to Dispose Complete Applications Within Prescribed Timeline
The statutory framework provides that a complete application should preferably be considered and disposed of by the Registration Committee within 45 days, which may be extended by a period not exceeding 15 additional days. The implementation guidelines accompanying the communication also state that applications on the online portal should be processed in a time-bound manner, preferably within 30 days / 4–6 weeks, upon receipt of a complete application.
Detailed Documentation and Consumption Data Required
Form IA requires applicants to furnish, inter alia, a valid industrial licence/approval, factory-related documentation, Pollution Control Board consent, details of insecticide imported and consumed during the preceding three years, corresponding production of the end-product, and justification for the quantity sought. Where the difference between the quantity proposed and the average consumption during the preceding three years exceeds 30%, detailed justification from the concerned Nodal Ministry/Department/State Department of Industry is required.
Imported Material Not to Be Sold; Applicant to Undertake Own Use
The prescribed application also contains a verification under which the applicant undertakes that the imported material is not meant for sale and will be used for its own requirement as declared in the application. Incorrect or incomplete information may result in cancellation of the Import Permit without notice.
Limited Exemption for Small Quantities of Reference Material
The guidelines clarify that an Import Permit is not required for import of unit packs of 5 grams or less of Certified Reference Material or Reference Standards of insecticides/pesticides.
Customs Officers Directed to Ensure Compliance
CBIC has directed all concerned Customs and Customs Preventive formations to bring the requirement to the notice of officers under their jurisdiction and ensure compliance. Any difficulty in implementing the Instruction may be brought to the notice of the Board.
The Instructions can be accessed at: https://taxinformation.cbic.gov.in/view-pdf/1000588/ENG/Instructions
