India Temporarily Suspending Issuing COs Due to COVID-19 Lockdown

Indian agencies responsible for issuing certificates of origin under India’s free trade agreements are temporarily closed and unable to issue the certificates, due to a “lockdown” stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a March 28 notice. Certificates will be issued “retrospectively” after the agencies reopen, India said. In the interim, the country is urging its trading partners to “kindly allow the eligible imports under preferences on a retrospective basis subject to the subsequent production of the certificates of origin by the Indian exporters.” India said it will “stand ready to honour its preferential trade agreement imports” if it receives a similar request from trading partners.