Introduction

As per AY 2009-10

• Customs duty of 5% to be imposed on Set Top Box for television broadcasting.
• Customs duty on LCD Panels for manufacture of LCD televisions to be reduced from 10% to 5%.
• Full exemption from 4% special CVD on parts for manufacture of mobile phones and accessories to be reintroduced for one year.
• List of specified raw materials/inputs imported by manufacturer-exporters of sports goods which are exempt from customs duty, subject to specified conditions, to be expanded by including five additional items.
• List of specified raw materials and equipment imported by manufacturer-exporters of leather goods, textile products and footwear industry which are fully exempt from customs duty, subject to specified conditions, to be expanded.
• Customs duty on unworked corals to be reduced from 5% to Nil.
• Customs duty on 10 specified life saving drugs/vaccine and their bulk drugs to be reduced from 10% to 5% with Nil CVD (by way of excise duty exemption).
• Customs duty on specified heart devices, namely artificial heart and PDA/ASD occlusion device, to be reduced from 7.5% to 5% with Nil CVD (by way of excise duty exemption).
• Customs duty on permanent magnets for PM synchronous generator above 500 KW used in wind operated electricity generators to be reduced from 7.5% to 5%.
• Customs duty on bio-diesel to be reduced from 7.5% to 2.5%.
• Concessional customs duty of 5% on specified machinery for tea, coffee and rubber plantations to be reintroduced for one year, upto 06.07.2010.
• Customs duty on ‘mechanical harvester’ for coffee plantation to be reduced from 7.5% to 5%. CVD on such harvesters has also been reduced from 8% to nil, by way of excise duty exemption.
• Customs duty on serially numbered gold bars (other than tola bars) and gold coins to be increased from Rs.100 per 10 gram to Rs.200 per 10 gram. Customs duty on other forms of gold to be increased from Rs.250 per 10 gram to Rs.500 per 10 gram. Customs duty on silver to be increased from Rs.500 per Kg. to Rs.1000 per Kg. These increases also to be applicable when gold and silver (including ornaments) are imported as personal baggage.
• Customs duty on cotton waste to be reduced from 15% to 10%.
• Customs duty on wool waste to be reduced from 15% to 10%.
• Customs duty on rock phosphate to be reduced from 5% to 2%.
• CVD exemption on Aerial Passenger Ropeway Projects to be withdrawn. Such projects will now attract applicable CVD.
• Customs duty exemption on concrete batching plants of capacity 50 cum per hour or more to be withdrawn. Such plants will now attract customs duty of 7.5%.
• On packaged or canned software, CVD exemption to be provided on the portion of the value which represents the consideration for transfer of the right to use such software, subject to specified conditions.
• Customs duty on inflatable rafts, snow-skis, water skis, surf-boats, sail-boards and other water sports equipment to be fully exempted.

The Customs Act was formulated in 1962 to prevent illegal imports and exports of goods. Besides, all imports are sought to be subject to a duty with a view to affording protection to indigenous industries as well as to keep the imports to the minimum in the interests of securing the exchange rate of Indian currency.

Duties of customs are levied on goods imported or exported from India at the rate specified under the customs Tariff Act, 1975 as amended from time to time or any other law for the time being in force. For the purpose of exercising proper surveillance over imports and exports, the Central Government has the power to notify the ports and airports for the unloading of the imported goods and loading of the exported goods, the places for clearance of goods imported or to be exported, the routes by which above goods may pass by land or inland water into or out of Indian and the ports which alone shall be coastal ports.

In order to give a broad guide as to classification of goods for the purpose of duty liability, the central Board of Excises Customs (CBEC) bring out periodically a book called the "Indian Customs Tariff Guide" which contains various tariff rulings issued by the CBEC. The Act also contains detailed provisions for warehousing of the imported goods and manufacture of goods is also possible in the warehouses.

For a person who do not actually import or export goods customs has relevance in so far as they bring any baggage from abroad.

Types of duties

Under the custom laws, the following are the various types of duties which are leviable.

Basic Duty:
This is the basic duty levied under the Customs Act. The rate varies for different items from 5% to 40%.

Additional Duty (Countervailing Duty) (CVD):
This additional duty is levied under section 3 (1) of the Custom Tariff Act and is equal to excise duty levied on a like product manufactured or produced in India. If a like product is not manufactured or produced in India, the excise duty that would be leviable on that product had it been manufactured or produced in India is the duty payable. If the product is leviable at different rates, the highest rate among those rates is the rate applicable. Such duty is leviable on the value of goods plus basic custom duty payable. eg. If the customs value of goods is Rs. 5000 and rate of basic customs duty is 10% and excise duty on similar goods produced in India is 20%, CVD will be Rs.1100/-.

Additional Duty to compensate duty on inputs used by Indian manufacturers. This Additional Duty is levied under section 3(3) of the Customs Act. It can be charged on all goods by the central government to counter balance excise duty leviable to raw materials, components and other inputs similar to those used in the production of such good.

Anti-dumping Duty:
Sometimes, foreign sellers abroad may export into India goods at prices below the amounts charged by them in their domestic markets in order to capture Indian markets to the detriment of Indian industry. This is known as dumping. In order to prevent dumping, the Central Government may levy additional duty equal to the margin of dumping on such articles, if the goods have been sold at less than normal value. Pending determination of margin of dumping, such duty may be provisionally imposed. After the exact rate of dump ing duty is finally determined, the Central government may vary the provisional rate of dumping duty. Dumping duty can be imposed even when goods are imported indirectly or after changing the condition of goods. There are however certain restrictions on imposing dumping duties in case of countries which are signatories to the GATT or on countries given "Most Favoured Nation Status" under agreement. Dumping duty can be levied on imports on such countries only if the Central Government proves that import of such goods in India at such low prices causes material injury to Indian industry.

Protective Duty:
If the Tariff Commission set up by law recommends that in order to protect the interests of Indian industry, the Central Government may levy protective anti-dumping duties at the rate recommended on specified goods. The notification for levy of such duties must be introduced in the Parliament in the next session by way of a bill or in the same session if Parliament is in session. If the bill is not passed within six months of introduction in Parliament, the notification ceases to have force but the action already undertaken under the notification remains valid. Such duty will be payable upto the date specified in the notification. Protective duty may be cancelled or varied by notification. Such notification must also be placed before Parliament for approval as above.

Duty on Bounty Fed Articles:
In case a foreign country subsidises its exporters for exporting goods to India, the Central Government may import additional import duty equal to the amount of such subsidy or bounty. If the amount of subsidy or bounty cannot be clearly deter mined immediately, additional duty may be collected on a provisional basis and after final determination, difference may be collected or refunded, as the case may be.

Export Duty:
Such duty is levied on export of goods. At present very few articles such as skins and leather are subject to export duty. The main purpose of this duty is to restrict exports of certain goods. The Central Government has been granted emergency powers to increase import or export duties if the need so arises. Such increase in duty must be by way of notification which is to be placed in the Parliament within the session and if it is not in session, it should be placed within seven days when the next session starts. Notification should be approved within 15 days.