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The Government of India has introduced an additional verification step for the customs clearance of imported drugs, medical devices, cosmetics and certain other healthcare products.
According to a communication issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) on September 3, 2026, customs officers are now required to manually verify certain licences, permissions and registration certificates before clearing these imported products.
The change has been introduced because some regulatory documents of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) are not yet fully integrated with the government’s SWIFT 2.0 system.
Table of Contents
- What Is SWIFT 2.0?
- What has changed for Importers in India regarding to SWIFT 2.O?
- Even Facilitated Bills of Entry Will Be Checked: New Update for Business Looking for Import in India
- Which products are covered under SWIFT 2.0?
- Why has Manual Verification been introduced in India?
- What should Importers in India keep in mind?
- How Can Mercurius Help?
What Is SWIFT 2.0?
SWIFT stands for Single Window Interface for Facilitating Trade.
The system allows importers to submit information and obtain required clearances from different government agencies through a common electronic process. The objective is to make the import clearance process simpler by reducing the need for importers to separately approach different authorities.
However, according to the latest update, CDSCO regulatory documents are currently not fully integrated into SWIFT 2.0.
Due to this system gap, CDSCO has requested CBIC to ensure that customs authorities manually check the applicable regulatory documents before giving final clearance to the goods.
What has changed for Importers in India regarding to SWIFT 2.O?
Customs officers will now manually verify applicable:
- licences;
- permissions; and
- registration certificates
before providing Out-of-Charge (OOC) approval.
Out-of-Charge is the final customs approval that allows an importer to take imported goods out of customs custody.
This means that even if an import transaction has gone through the electronic customs process, the required CDSCO-related documents must still be checked before the affected goods can be released.
Even Facilitated Bills of Entry Will Be Checked: New Update for Business Looking for Import in India
One important part of the update is that the manual verification requirement will also apply to facilitated Bills of Entry.
Facilitated imports are transactions that may otherwise be cleared through the customs risk-management system with reduced intervention.
Under the latest requirement, however, the applicable regulatory documents for the covered healthcare products will still need to be verified before Out-of-Charge is granted.
Which products are covered under SWIFT 2.0?
CDSCO has provided customs authorities with seven product-specific checklists.
According to the update, these cover:
- Cosmetics
- Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs)
- Finished medicines
- Medicines imported for personal use
- Certain small-quantity imports of new drugs
- Medical devices
- In-vitro diagnostic (IVD) kits
- Raw materials and components used in the manufacture of medical devices
Therefore, the requirement is not limited only to finished medicines or medical devices. It also covers certain materials and components used in healthcare manufacturing.
Why has Manual Verification been introduced in India?
The requirement has been introduced to address the current gap between CDSCO regulatory documentation and SWIFT 2.0.
Until these regulatory documents are fully integrated with the digital system, customs authorities will manually verify the required documents to ensure regulatory compliance before releasing the goods.
It is important to note that this update does not represent a ban or new restriction on the import of drugs or medical devices. It changes the verification process during customs clearance because the relevant CDSCO documents are not yet fully integrated into SWIFT 2.0.
What should Importers in India keep in mind?
Businesses importing drugs, cosmetics, medical devices and other covered healthcare products into India should be prepared for this additional verification during customs clearance.
Importers should ensure that all applicable licences, permissions and registration certificates are complete and available for customs verification.
The key update is simple: until CDSCO documents are fully integrated into SWIFT 2.0, customs officers will manually verify the required regulatory documents before granting final clearance for the affected imports.
How Can Mercurius Help?
Importing regulated products into India requires careful attention to documentation and compliance. Mercurius can assist businesses in understanding the applicable regulatory requirements, preparing and reviewing required documentation, and supporting the customs and compliance process for imports into India. If your business imports drugs, medical devices, cosmetics or related products and you want clarity on the latest requirements, connect with our professionals for guidance and compliance support.
