DGFT Automates Free Sale and Commerce Certificates Issuance to Cut Processing Time

Key facts

• On September 1, 2026, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry announced that the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has enabled automated issuance of Free Sale and Commerce Certificates (FSC) on its portal.
• Eligible FSC applications will be processed automatically as per the prevailing regulatory framework without manual scrutiny by DGFT Regional Authorities.
• FSCs are issued to exporters under the Foreign Trade Policy for products not covered under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940.
• The automated system is expected to significantly reduce processing time and minimise compliance burden for a substantial category of FSC applications.
• Applications requiring verification or not meeting automated processing parameters will continue to be referred to the concerned Regional Authority for manual scrutiny.
• The system includes risk-based oversight, under which certain automatically approved applications may be flagged to the Regional Authority for review.
• The initiative is part of the government's efforts to promote ease of doing business and streamline trade-related regulatory processes through technology.