The Indian government extends a full customs duty waiver, setting zero duty, on imports of about 40 critical petrochemical products by 15 more days, with the new deadline of July 15. The exemption was originally announced on April 2 as a temporary, targeted measure and was scheduled to end on June 30. The finance ministry says the extension is intended to ensure continuity and supply stability as conditions linked to West Asia gradually normalize, supporting a smooth transition for downstream industries affected by earlier disruptions.
The move follows ongoing monitoring of developments in West Asia and their impact on global supply chains, including shipping and freight movement. Several reports attribute the initial relief to disruptions caused by conflict in West Asia, which has affected import costs and availability of industrial raw materials used by Indian manufacturers. The products covered include feedstocks and intermediates such as methanol, anhydrous ammonia, toluene, styrene, vinyl chloride monomer, dichloromethane, polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene, and unsaturated polyester resins. These are used across plastics, packaging, textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and automotive-related manufacturing, where domestic supply and input costs depend on imported petrochemical inputs.
