CICU Delegation Meets Chief Commissioner of Customs to Address Exporters’ Concerns

Ludhiana, Sep 16, 2025: A high-level delegation of the Chamber of Industrial & Commercial Undertakings (CICU), led by Upkar Singh Ahuja, President, CICU and CMD, New Swan Group, met Sanjay Gupta, Chief Commissioner, Customs (Preventive), Delhi Zone, during his visit to the Customs Commissionerate, Ludhiana. The meeting was also attended by Nasim Arshi, Commissioner of Customs, Ludhiana, along with senior industry leaders and representatives of the exporting community.
At the outset, Upkar Singh Ahuja extended a warm welcome to the Chief Commissioner and introduced CICU as a leading industry body representing MSMEs and large exporters from Punjab. He highlighted CICU’s commitment to supporting ease of doing business, trade facilitation, and policy advocacy to drive industry growth.
Narinder Chug, CEO of N.C. Overseas, highlighted the issue of delayed filing of Export General Manifests (EGM) at Nhava Sheva and Mundra Ports. He emphasized that such delays often cause unnecessary hardships for exporters. He urged Customs authorities to refrain from issuing Show Cause Notices (SCNs) in these cases and instead adopt a system of simple written communication to request additional information, if needed.
During the meeting, CICU raised several critical issues impacting exporters, including:
•    Bank Guarantee Requirements for Imports:
CICU emphasized that importers should not be compelled to furnish bank guarantees for every shipment from the same supplier. The delegation suggested that a well-defined Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) be established so that system-generated alerts do not automatically lead to financial obligations. Such a move, they stressed, would encourage new exporters to enter global markets without fear of excessive compliance costs.
•    Certificate of Origin (CoO) Verification:
Industry members recommended that once a Certificate of Origin is verified for a specific buyer–supplier combination, exporters should not be required to repeatedly submit bank guarantees for subsequent shipments.
•    Shipping Line-Related Issues:
CICU urged Customs authorities to engage with Shipping Lines to secure practical relaxations for exporters, particularly in cases where delays are beyond their control. Sh. Saravjit Singh, Co-Convener, CICU Export Committee, suggested the development of a fast-track clearance mechanism to enable exporters to meet vessel schedules. He noted that such a system would enhance India’s reliability and global competitiveness in international trade.
The delegation included prominent industrialists and CICU office bearers, including Padma Shri Onkar Singh Pahwa (Avon Cycles), Honey Sethi (General Secretary – CICU), Ankur Garg, Vinod Sharma (Deepak International), Ram Lubaya (Sonu Export), J. S. Bhogal (Farmparts), Gautam Malhotra (Vice President – CICU), and Vinod Kumar (In-charge – CICU Export Helpdesk).
In response, Nasim Arshi, Commissioner of Customs, Ludhiana, assured the delegation that Customs will proactively resolve exporters’ grievances and encouraged exporters to directly approach Customs offices for redressal at any time.
Addressing the gathering, Sanjay Gupta, Chief Commissioner, Customs (Preventive), Delhi Zone, gave a patient hearing and assured that all concerns raised would be taken up with the relevant authorities for speedy resolution. He reaffirmed Customs’ commitment to promoting transparency, reducing compliance burdens, and facilitating trade in line with the Government of India’s vision of Ease of Doing Business and Make in India for the World.
On behalf of the industry, Upkar Singh Ahuja expressed gratitude to the Chief Commissioner for his valuable time and proactive approach. He assured full cooperation from CICU and the exporting community to work closely with Customs for smoother trade facilitation, faster clearances, and strengthening India’s export competitiveness.