Why customs rules need to factor in at least a decade of price rise

Vimal Pruthi
Jan 26, 2026 | 10:45 IST
File photo of customs check at Ahmedabad airport

Duty-free allowances were last set in 2016. But those limits appear inadequate now in view of price rise and economic growth, pointing to a scope for revision

Every passenger landing in India from overseas, after completing immigration and collecting their baggage, has to pass through Customs, where goods beyond the permitted duty-free allowance must be declared through the Red Channel, else the passenger can simply pass through the Green Channel.

India’s duty-free baggage allowance was last updated in 2016, prescribing allowance limits on which no duty is payable for different categories of passengers.
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