Baggage Rules 2026 Allow Returning Indians To Bring Jewellery Upto 40 Gram Duty-Free

The Central Government has notified the Baggage Regulations, 2026, giving a limited category of international passengers a special duty-free allowance for jewellery. Under the Regulations , Indian residents and tourists of Indian origin who have lived abroad for more than one year can bring jewellery over and above their personal effects into India without paying customs duty, within specified limits. The allowance is upto 20gms for male passengers a 40gm for female passengers. Jewellery...

Changes In Interest Calculation For GST Monthly Return From January 2026; GSTN Issues Advisory

The Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) has issued an advisory setting out changes to interest computation and related system features in the monthly return GSTR-3B (GST). The changes will apply from the January 2026 tax period onwards. From January 2026, interest shown in Table 5.1 of GSTR-3B (GST) will be calculated after adjusting the minimum cash balance available in the Electronic Cash Ledger from the due date of filing until the date of tax payment. The change follows the proviso to...

Finance Bill, 2026 Proposes Enabling GST Appellate Tribunal To Hear Advance Ruling Appeals

The Finance Bill, 2026, proposes a change in the GST appellate framework that will allow the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal to hear a limited category of advance ruling appeals. GSTAT will continue to function as the appellate forum for regular GST disputes such as classification, valuation, and input tax credit. The proposed change does not alter this role. Under the GST law, advance rulings are issued by state-level Authorities for Advance Rulings. Appeals lie before the...

Finance Bill 2026 Proposes GST Relief For Intermediaries By Treating Services To Overseas Clients As Exports

The Finance Bill, 2026, proposes a key change in the GST treatment of certain cross-border services, especially those provided by Indian intermediaries to overseas clients. Under the current GST regime, the place of supply for cross-border services is governed by Section 13 of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) Act, 2017. This section applies when either the supplier or the recipient of a service is located outside India. At present, Section 13(8)(b) of the IGST Act lays down a...

DGFT Revises Bulk Drug Policy, PEN-G, Amoxycillin Subject To Minimum Import Price Till Jan 2027

In a Notification dated 29 January 2026, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has revised the import policy for certain bulk drugs, including Penicillin G-Potassium (PEN-G) and its salts. According to the notification, specific antibiotics such as PEN-G, Amoxycillin and its salts, and 6-APA have been moved from the 'Free' category to the 'Restricted' category. Further, the notification prescribes a Minimum Import Price (MIP) for certain imports. It is the lowest price at which a...

CCI Approves Elliott-Managed Funds' Proposed Stake Purchase In Toyota Industries

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved a proposal involving the acquisition of equity shares and voting rights in Toyota Industries Corporation by funds managed by US-based Elliott Investment Management. Under the approval, Elliott Associates L.P., Elliott International L.P. and The Liverpool Limited Partnership will acquire shares of Toyota Industries through on-market purchases on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Nagoya Stock Exchange. As the transaction involves the...

DGFT Allows Limited Export Of 5 Lakh Metric Tonnes Of Wheat Flour, Products

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has allowed exports of up to 5 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of wheat flour and related wheat products while retaining the overall prohibition on such exports. The easing was notified through an amendment to the export policy for items classified under HS Code 1101, which covers wheat or meslin flour (atta), maida, semolina (ravi/sirgi), wholemeal atta, and resultant atta. Under the amended policy, exports of these wheat products will continue to be...

GSTN Issues Advisory On RSP-Based Valuation For Tobacco Products

Ahead of the rollout of the Retail Sale Price (RSP)–based valuation mechanism from 1 February 2026, the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) has issued an advisory for taxpayers.The advisory provides guidance on reporting taxable value and tax liability under the RSP-based valuation in e-invoices, e-way bills, GSTR-1, GSTR-1A, and the Invoice Furnishing Facility (IFF).As part of the RSP-based system, GST on notified tobacco products has been computed at 40% and the taxable value will now be...

RBI Brings Exports, Imports and Merchanting Trade Under Single FEMA Framework

The Reserve Bank of India has notified a new set of foreign exchange rules that bring exports, imports, and merchanting trade transactions under a single regulatory framework for the first time.The Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 replace the 2015 rules, which were limited to exports of goods and services.The regulations were notified on January 13, 2026, under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999. They will come into force on October...

RBI Tweaks Reference Date For Fortnightly Reporting By Scheduled Banks

The Reserve Bank of India has tweaked the cut-off date for fortnightly reporting by scheduled banks, without changing the reporting frequency itself. The change has been brought by the notification of the Reserve Bank of India Scheduled Banks' (Amendment) Regulations, 2025.Banks, which were already filing returns on a fortnightly basis, will now report their statement of position as on the last day of the fortnight, instead of the earlier practice of reporting figures as on a Friday. The change...

What Is MF-Lite? SEBI Introduces New Mutual Fund Category Under 2026 Regulations

In a sweeping overhaul of the mutual fund regulatory regime, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has notified the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 2026, which introduces Mutual Fund-Lite (MF-Lite) as a separate category of mutual funds. Notified on 14 January, the regulations have repealed the nearly three-decade-old SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996 and are scheduled to come into force with effect from 1 April 2026. Under the new regime,...

RBI Issues New Internal Ombudsman Rules For Credit Bureaus, NBFCs And Prepaid Payment Companies

The Reserve Bank of India has rolled out a fresh set of rules that make it mandatory for several financial sector players to appoint an internal ombudsman, a senior, independent official who will review certain customer complaints before they are finally rejected. Through three separate notifications issued on January 14, 2026, the RBI notified the Internal Ombudsman Directions for Credit Information Companies, eligible Non-Banking Financial Companies, and large non-bank Prepaid Payment...