The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), under the Ministry of Finance, has issued Instruction No. 04/2026-Customs dated April 20, 2026 to streamline and strengthen the regulatory framework governing food imports in India. The instruction has been issued in continuation of earlier Instruction No. 31/2025-Customs dated 03.11.2025 and in reference to notifications issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) dated 06.01.2026 and 09.04.2026.
[1] Expansion of Authorised Officers at Points of Entry
The FSSAI has undertaken a comprehensive review of notified Points of Entry for food imports and has designated additional Authorised Officers, including both FSSAI officials and Customs officers. As per the latest notification, five new Points of Entry have been added to the existing network, thereby increasing the total number to 171 notified locations across the country.
The newly added locations include:
- ICD Dhirpur (Haryana)
- Electronic SEZ Park, Gandhinagar (Gujarat)
- ICD Naya Raipur (Chhattisgarh)
- ICD Dahej (Gujarat)
- ICD Varnama (Gujarat)
These locations will have designated officers such as FSSAI Authorised Officers or Superintendents/Appraisers/Inspectors/Examiners to ensure proper regulatory oversight.
[2] Updated Comprehensive List of Entry Points
For ease of reference and operational clarity, an updated Annexure-A has been provided in the instruction, listing all 171 Points of Entry, including airports, seaports, inland container depots (ICDs), special economic zones (SEZs), and land customs stations (LCSs).
The annexure (pages 3–14 of the document) details:
- Port names and corresponding codes
- State/Union Territory
- Type of port (Airport, Seaport, ICD, SEZ, LCS)
- Designated Authorised Officers
This updated list ensures uniform implementation of food safety regulations across all import gateways in the country.
[3] Modification of Earlier Instructions
The Board has clarified that Instruction No. 31/2025-Customs stands modified to the extent of inclusion of new Points of Entry and authorised officers. All field formations are required to align their procedures accordingly and ensure seamless implementation.
[4] Directions to Field Formations
All Principal Chief Commissioners, Chief Commissioners, and Commissioners of Customs have been directed to:
- Sensitize officers under their jurisdiction regarding the updated provisions
- Ensure compliance with the revised framework for food import clearance
- Facilitate coordination between Customs and FSSAI authorities
[5] Grievance Redressal and Feedback
Field formations have been advised to report any operational difficulties or challenges faced in implementation to the Board for timely resolution and further policy refinement.
[6] Objective of the Measure
The initiative aims to:
- Strengthen food safety compliance at import points
- Enhance coordination between Customs and FSSAI
- Facilitate smoother and faster clearance of food consignments
- Expand infrastructure to handle growing import volumes efficiently
Conclusion
This latest instruction marks a significant step towards modernizing and expanding India’s food import regulatory ecosystem, ensuring that food safety standards are uniformly enforced across all entry points while facilitating ease of trade.
The Instructions can be accessed at: https://taxinformation.cbic.gov.in/view-pdf/1000572/ENG/Instructions
