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Budget 2026: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed reducing the tariff on all dutiable goods imported for personal use from 20 per cent to 10 per cent while unveiling the Union Budget 2026-27, in a major move to counter global headwinds.
“To rationalise the customs duty structure for goods imported for personal use, I propose to reduce the tariff rate on all dutiable goods imported for personal use from 20 per cent to 10 per cent,” Sitharaman told Parliament, highlighting the Centre’s focus on easing costs for individuals and encouraging personal imports.
<blockquote><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnionBudget2026?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UnionBudget2026</a> | Union FM Nirmala Sitharaman says, "To provide relief to patients, particularly those suffering from cancer, I propose to exempt basic customs duty on 17 drugs or medicines. I propose also to add 7 more rare diseases for the purposes of exempting import duties… <a href="https://t.co/edNKZda1mq">pic.twitter.com/edNKZda1mq</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2017858107951788254?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><h2>Export-friendly measures for select sectors</h2>
The finance minister also announced sector-specific measures to promote exports in marine, leather, and textile products. She proposed raising the limit for duty-free imports of specified inputs used in seafood processing for export from 1 per cent to 3 per cent of the free on board value (FOB) value of the previous year’s export turnover.
“The quantity of such sales will be limited to a prescribed proportion of their exports. Necessary regulatory changes will be undertaken to operationalise the measures while ensuring a level playing field for the units working in the domestic tariff area (DTA),” she said.
Sitharaman further announced extending duty-free import facilities for leather and synthetic footwear exporters to include shoe uppers. The time period for export of the final product will also be extended from six months to one year for exporters of leather and textile garments, footwear, and other leather products.
Also Read: <a href="http://zeebiz.com/india/news-fm-sitharaman-s-budget-2026-speech-major-reforms-sectoral-focus-growth-roadmap-389380">FM Sitharaman’s Budget 2026 Full Speech: Major reforms, sectoral focus, growth roadmap</a>
<h2>Simplifying customs procedures and rates</h2>
“My proposals for Customs and Central Excise aim to further simplify the tariff structure, support domestic manufacturing, promote export competitiveness and correct inversion in duty,” the finance minister said.
The central government plans to remove certain exemptions on items being manufactured domestically or where imports are negligible. It will also incorporate effective duty rates in customs notifications to simplify ascertaining applicable rates.
<img alt="Budget 2026, Union Budget 2026-27, Nirmala Sitharaman Budget speech, Tariffs, customs duty cut, personal import duty cut to 10%," title="Budget 2026, Union Budget 2026-27, Nirmala Sitharaman Budget speech, Tariffs, customs duty cut, personal import duty cut to 10%," height="1536" width="1024" src="https://cdn.zeebiz.com/sites/default/files/custon.png" />
Source: Ministry of Finance
Also Read: <a href="http://zeebiz.com/personal-finance/income-tax/news-budget-2026-what-fm-nirmala-sitharaman-proposed-for-taxpayers-relief-tcs-cuts-new-rules-389386">Budget 2026: What FM Nirmala Sitharaman proposed for taxpayers—Relief, TCS cuts, new rules</a>  
<h2>Medical relief and passenger-friendly baggage rules</h2>
Sitharaman proposed exemptions on basic customs duty for 17 drugs, particularly to support cancer patients, and added seven more rare diseases for duty-free imports of drugs, medicines, and food for special medical purposes. She also proposed revising provisions governing baggage clearance during international travel. “The revised rules will enhance duty-free allowances in line with present-day travel realities and provide clarity on the temporary carriage of goods brought in or taken out,” she said.
The Budget proposed doubling the duty deferral period for Tier 2 and Tier 3 Authorised Economic Operators (AEOs) from 15 days to 30 days. Eligible manufacturer-importers were also allowed to avail the same facility, encouraging them to upgrade to full Tier 3 AEO status.
The validity of advance rulings will be extended from three years to five years, and these rulings will be binding on Customs, giving businesses greater certainty. Government agencies were encouraged to use AEO accreditation for faster cargo clearance, while trusted importers were set to face fewer cargo checks. Export consignments with electronic sealing could move directly from factory to ship, and for imports that did not require compliance, filing a bill of entry automatically notified Customs to complete clearance.
The finance minister also announced changes to modernise the Customs warehousing system. The new system will focus on warehouse operators and rely on self-declarations, electronic tracking, and risk-based audits. This will reduce the need for officer approvals, cut delays, and lower compliance costs for businesses.
Also Read: <a href="http://zeebiz.com/market-news/news-government-announces-stt-hike-for-fo-trades-in-budget-what-it-means-for-traders-389366">Government announces STT hike for F&amp;O trades in Budget: What it means for traders</a>
<h2>Strategic Sector Support: Energy, defence, and manufacturing</h2>
The Budget extended basic customs duty (BCD) exemptions for capital goods used in lithium-ion battery manufacturing to battery energy storage systems. Sodium antimonate imports for solar glass production will also be exempted.
In the nuclear sector, BCD exemptions will now cover all nuclear plants until 2035, irrespective of capacity. The Budget also proposed exemptions on imports of capital goods for processing critical minerals and on components for civilian aircraft, defence aircraft maintenance, and microwave oven manufacturing.
To address under-utilisation in SEZs due to global trade disruptions, eligible manufacturing units will be allowed to sell goods in the domestic tariff area at concessional duty rates.
<h2>Revenue estimates</h2>
The revised estimate for customs duties in 2025-26 is Rs 2,58,290 crore against the Budget Estimate of Rs 2,40,000 crore. The Budget Estimate for 2026-27 is Rs 2,71,200 crore. Union Excise Duties are pegged at Rs 3,88,910 crore for 2026-27, up from the revised estimate of Rs 3,36,550 crore in 2025-26.

Budget 2026: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed reducing the tariff on all dutiable goods imported for personal use from 20 per cent to 10 per cent while unveiling the Union Budget 2026-27, in a major move to counter global headwinds.“To rationalise the customs duty structure for goods imported for personal use, I propose to reduce the tariff rate on all dutiable goods imported for personal use from 20 per cent to 10 per cent,” Sitharaman told Parliament, highlighting the Centre’s focus on easing costs for individuals and encouraging personal imports.#UnionBudget2026 | Union FM Nirmala Sitharaman says, "To provide relief to patients, particularly those suffering from cancer, I propose to exempt basic customs duty on 17 drugs or medicines. I propose also to add 7 more rare diseases for the purposes of exempting import duties… pic.twitter.com/edNKZda1mq— ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2026Export-friendly measures for select sectorsThe finance minister also announced sector-specific measures to promote exports in marine, leather, and textile products. She proposed raising the limit for duty-free imports of specified inputs used in seafood processing for export from 1 per cent to 3 per cent of the free on board value (FOB) value of the previous year’s export turnover.“The quantity of such sales will be limited to a prescribed proportion of their exports. Necessary regulatory changes will be undertaken to operationalise the measures while ensuring a level playing field for the units working in the domestic tariff area (DTA),” she said.Sitharaman further announced extending duty-free import facilities for leather and synthetic footwear exporters to include shoe uppers. The time period for export of the final product will also be extended from six months to one year for exporters of leather and textile garments, footwear, and other leather products.Also Read: FM Sitharaman’s Budget 2026 Full Speech: Major reforms, sectoral focus, growth roadmapSimplifying customs procedures and rates“My proposals for Customs and Central Excise aim to further simplify the tariff structure, support domestic manufacturing, promote export competitiveness and correct inversion in duty,” the finance minister said.The central government plans to remove certain exemptions on items being manufactured domestically or where imports are negligible. It will also incorporate effective duty rates in customs notifications to simplify ascertaining applicable rates.Source: Ministry of FinanceAlso Read: Budget 2026: What FM Nirmala Sitharaman proposed for taxpayers—Relief, TCS cuts, new rules  Medical relief and passenger-friendly baggage rulesSitharaman proposed exemptions on basic customs duty for 17 drugs, particularly to support cancer patients, and added seven more rare diseases for duty-free imports of drugs, medicines, and food for special medical purposes. She also proposed revising provisions governing baggage clearance during international travel. “The revised rules will enhance duty-free allowances in line with present-day travel realities and provide clarity on the temporary carriage of goods brought in or taken out,” she said.The Budget proposed doubling the duty deferral period for Tier 2 and Tier 3 Authorised Economic Operators (AEOs) from 15 days to 30 days. Eligible manufacturer-importers were also allowed to avail the same facility, encouraging them to upgrade to full Tier 3 AEO status.The validity of advance rulings will be extended from three years to five years, and these rulings will be binding on Customs, giving businesses greater certainty. Government agencies were encouraged to use AEO accreditation for faster cargo clearance, while trusted importers were set to face fewer cargo checks. Export consignments with electronic sealing could move directly from factory to ship, and for imports that did not require compliance, filing a bill of entry automatically notified Customs to complete clearance.The finance minister also announced changes to modernise the Customs warehousing system. The new system will focus on warehouse operators and rely on self-declarations, electronic tracking, and risk-based audits. This will reduce the need for officer approvals, cut delays, and lower compliance costs for businesses.Also Read: Government announces STT hike for F&amp;O trades in Budget: What it means for tradersStrategic Sector Support: Energy, defence, and manufacturingThe Budget extended basic customs duty (BCD) exemptions for capital goods used in lithium-ion battery manufacturing to battery energy storage systems. Sodium antimonate imports for solar glass production will also be exempted.In the nuclear sector, BCD exemptions will now cover all nuclear plants until 2035, irrespective of capacity. The Budget also proposed exemptions on imports of capital goods for processing critical minerals and on components for civilian aircraft, defence aircraft maintenance, and microwave oven manufacturing.To address under-utilisation in SEZs due to global trade disruptions, eligible manufacturing units will be allowed to sell goods in the domestic tariff area at concessional duty rates.Revenue estimatesThe revised estimate for customs duties in 2025-26 is Rs 2,58,290 crore against the Budget Estimate of Rs 2,40,000 crore. The Budget Estimate for 2026-27 is Rs 2,71,200 crore. Union Excise Duties are pegged at Rs 3,88,910 crore for 2026-27, up from the revised estimate of Rs 3,36,550 crore in 2025-26.

Union Budget 2026: Personal import duties are down, export incentives are up and baggage rules are changing — a closer look at the customs reforms announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Budget 2026-27.

Budget 2026: FM Sitharaman slashes personal import tariffs to 10%, exempts 17 cancer drugs

news-budget-2026-27-rationalising-customs-duties-fm-sitharaman-cuts-personal-import-duty-to-from-20-per-cent-to-10-per-cent-389378

Budget 2026: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed reducing the tariff on all dutiable goods imported for personal use from 20 per cent to 10 per cent while unveiling the Union Budget 2026-27, in a major move to counter global headwinds. “To rationalise the customs duty structure for goods imported for personal use, I propose to reduce the tariff rate on all dutiable goods imported for personal use from 20 per cent to 10 per cent,” Sitharaman told Parliament, highlighting the Centre’s focus on easing costs for individuals and encouraging personal imports. #UnionBudget2026 | Union FM Nirmala Sitharaman says, To provide relief to patients, particularly those suffering from cancer, I propose to exempt basic customs duty on 17 drugs or medicines. I propose also to add 7 more rare diseases for the purposes of exempting import duties… pic.twitter.com/edNKZda1mq — ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2026 Export-friendly measures for select sectors The finance minister also announced sector-specific measures to promote exports in marine, leather, and textile products. She proposed raising the limit for duty-free imports of specified inputs used in seafood processing for export from 1 per cent to 3 per cent of the free on board value (FOB) value of the previous year’s export turnover. “The quantity of such sales will be limited to a prescribed proportion of their exports. Necessary regulatory changes will be undertaken to operationalise the measures while ensuring a level playing field for the units working in the domestic tariff area (DTA),” she said. Sitharaman further announced extending duty-free import facilities for leather and synthetic footwear exporters to include shoe uppers. The time period for export of the final product will also be extended from six months to one year for exporters of leather and textile garments, footwear, and other leather products. Also Read: FM Sitharaman’s Budget 2026 Full Speech: Major reforms, sectoral focus, growth roadmap Simplifying customs procedures and rates “My proposals for Customs and Central Excise aim to further simplify the tariff structure, support domestic manufacturing, promote export competitiveness and correct inversion in duty,” the finance minister said. The central government plans to remove certain exemptions on items being manufactured domestically or where imports are negligible. It will also incorporate effective duty rates in customs notifications to simplify ascertaining applicable rates. Source: Ministry of Finance Also Read: Budget 2026: What FM Nirmala Sitharaman proposed for taxpayers—Relief, TCS cuts, new rules   Medical relief and passenger-friendly baggage rules Sitharaman proposed exemptions on basic customs duty for 17 drugs, particularly to support cancer patients, and added seven more rare diseases for duty-free imports of drugs, medicines, and food for special medical purposes. She also proposed revising provisions governing baggage clearance during international travel. “The revised rules will enhance duty-free allowances in line with present-day travel realities and provide clarity on the temporary carriage of goods brought in or taken out,” she said. The Budget proposed doubling the duty deferral period for Tier 2 and Tier 3 Authorised Economic Operators (AEOs) from 15 days to 30 days. Eligible manufacturer-importers were also allowed to avail the same facility, encouraging them to upgrade to full Tier 3 AEO status. The validity of advance rulings will be extended from three years to five years, and these rulings will be binding on Customs, giving businesses greater certainty. Government agencies were encouraged to use AEO accreditation for faster cargo clearance, while trusted importers were set to face fewer cargo checks. Export consignments with electronic sealing could move directly from factory to ship, and for imports that did not require compliance, filing a bill of entry automatically notified Customs to complete clearance. The finance minister also announced changes to modernise the Customs warehousing system. The new system will focus on warehouse operators and rely on self-declarations, electronic tracking, and risk-based audits. This will reduce the need for officer approvals, cut delays, and lower compliance costs for businesses. Also Read: Government announces STT hike for F O trades in Budget: What it means for traders Strategic Sector Support: Energy, defence, and manufacturing The Budget extended basic customs duty (BCD) exemptions for capital goods used in lithium-ion battery manufacturing to battery energy storage systems. Sodium antimonate imports for solar glass production will also be exempted. In the nuclear sector, BCD exemptions will now cover all nuclear plants until 2035, irrespective of capacity. The Budget also proposed exemptions on imports of capital goods for processing critical minerals and on components for civilian aircraft, defence aircraft maintenance, and microwave oven manufacturing. To address under-utilisation in SEZs due to global trade disruptions, eligible manufacturing units will be allowed to sell goods in the domestic tariff area at concessional duty rates. Revenue estimates The revised estimate for customs duties in 2025-26 is Rs 2,58,290 crore against the Budget Estimate of Rs 2,40,000 crore. The Budget Estimate for 2026-27 is Rs 2,71,200 crore. Union Excise Duties are pegged at Rs 3,88,910 crore for 2026-27, up from the revised estimate of Rs 3,36,550 crore in 2025-26.

Union Budget 2026: Personal import duties are down, export incentives are up and baggage rules are changing — a closer look at the customs reforms announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Budget 2026-27.