Directorate General of Foreign Trade Amends Foreign Trade Policy 2023 to Ban Import of Forced Labour Goods

Exam-focused facts from the 17 July 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) amended the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 to prohibit import of goods produced or manufactured wholly or in part through forced labour.
Forced labour is defined as per the ILO Forced Labour Convention, 1930, as all work or service exacted under menace of penalty and without voluntary offer by the person.
The ban will come into effect 30 days after publication of the notification in the official gazette.
The central government can issue a notification to ban import of specific goods at any time if inquiry or evidence shows forced labour was used in their production.
The procedure for DGFT enquiry into forced labour will follow the Handbook of Procedures, 2023.