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The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has invited applications for the allocation of Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs) under the India–Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) for the financial year 2026–27. The application process will remain open from August 4 to August 19, 2026, enabling eligible pharma importers to seek quota allocations for a range of polymer and petrochemical products used across pharmaceutical, medical packaging and industrial manufacturing sectors.
The TRQ mechanism under the India–Oman CEPA allows eligible pharma imports of specified products at preferential tariff rates up to the notified quantities.
The move has been notified under the provisions of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP), 2023. The notified quotas cover products such as linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene, propylene copolymers, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) copolymers, suspension grade PVC resin and PET flakes.
According to director general (DG) of Foreign Trade, Lav Agarwal, the applications are being invited under the powers conferred by paragraphs 1.03 and 2.04 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023.
"New applications for Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) under the India–Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) for FY 2026–27 are invited from August 4, 2026, up to August 19, 2026," Agarwal informed.
Under the notified quota, 75,000 metric tonnes have been allocated for polyethylene products, including LLDPE where the ethylene monomer contributes 95 per cent or more by weight of the total polymer content, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene having a specific gravity of 0.94 or more (HDPE), and LLDPE containing less than 95 per cent ethylene by weight.
The notification also earmarks 10,700 metric tonnes for polypropylene and propylene copolymers, 1,054 metric tonnes for acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) copolymers, 166.666 metric tonnes for suspension grade PVC resin and 2,000 metric tonnes for PET flakes (chips) with a viscosity number of 78 ml/g or higher.
DGFT has also stipulated that applicants seeking quota allocation for PET flakes covered under serial numbers 22, 23 and 24 of the notified table must submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEF&CC), in accordance with the Ministry's Office Memorandum dated August 23, 2022.
The products covered under the quota have significant applications in the pharmaceutical and healthcare ecosystem. Polypropylene is widely used in manufacturing syringes, vials, intravenous containers and laboratory components because of its chemical resistance, heat tolerance and compatibility with sterilisation processes. Propylene copolymers are commonly used for transparent medical packaging, pharmaceutical containers and single-use healthcare devices owing to their flexibility and chemical stability.
Medical-grade linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) is extensively used for sterile intravenous bags, pharmaceutical blister packaging and seal liners, while low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is preferred for flexible pharmaceutical packaging, dropper bottles and sterile liquid containers due to its non-toxic and chemical-resistant properties. High-density polyethylene (HDPE), identified as polyethylene with a specific gravity of 0.94 or more, is widely used for medicine bottles and chemical containers because of its rigidity and resistance to chemicals.
LLDPE variants containing less than 95 per cent ethylene by weight are used in pharmaceutical packaging films and closures and are required to comply with regulatory standards such as USP <661>, drug-contact clearances and extractables and leachables testing. Suspension grade PVC resin finds application in healthcare packaging and medical devices where high purity and low residual vinyl chloride monomer levels are essential, while PET flakes with higher intrinsic viscosity are primarily used in rigid pharmaceutical and medical packaging.
ABS copolymers included under the notified quota are used in the pharmaceutical industry for manufacturing housings of diagnostic equipment, medical device enclosures and other non-drug-contact components because of their rigidity and impact resistance.
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