Govt Restricts Import of Precious Metal Compounds:

Govt Restricts Import of Precious Metal Compounds The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, has issued an official instruction (Instruction No. 18/2025-Customs) dated June 20, 2025. The instruction is being written to all senior customs and tax officers across India. The instruction is regarding a significant amendment introduced by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Ministry of Commerce, in the rules for importing certain chemical substances classified under Customs Tariff Heading (CTH) 2843. CTH 2843 consists of colloidal precious metals, inorganic or organic compounds of precious metals, and amalgams of precious metals. These are special types of chemical substances that many times consist of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and rhodium, etc. in them. This amendment was made effective from June 17, 2025, following the notification issued by DGFT. Previously, companies or individuals were not required to take any special permission from the government to freely import these compounds. This sort of policy is known as a “Free” import policy. However, now the government has amended the status of these compounds. Now the status has changed from “Free” to “Restricted.” Meaning, now any business or individual who wants to import these compounds then they should have a proper license and special permission from the DGFT before taking them into the country.

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The items impacted by this amendment fall under a specific customs category called CTH 2843. These consist of colloidal precious metals, compounds of gold and silver, silver nitrate, gold compounds, and various other chemical compounds and amalgams developed from precious metals like platinum, rhodium, and palladium. These compounds are mainly used in industries such as electronics, medical equipment, and laboratories, and they are generally high in value. Custom officers are being reported by the authorities for being more careful while checking imports. They are being informed not to clear shipments of these items unless the importer possesses a proper DGFT license. The amendment aims to strengthen control over sensitive materials and possibly prevent illegal trade or misuse. In case any custom department or importer faces difficulties due to this amendment, they are recommended to contact CBIC for assistance. These instructions are being issued by the government in both languages, i.e., English and Hindi. This is to make sure you understand the amendment clearly. Basically, from now on, importing precious metal compounds into the country will not be as easy as earlier. A special license will be needed, and customs officials will be enforcing this rule strictly. This step indicates the government’s intention to keep a close watch on valuable and sensitive chemical imports.