Key Points
New Delhi: India is working on an advance cargo information system on the lines of the advance passenger information system put in place by the US after 9/11 that will allow immediate customs clearance of imports with scrutiny limited to a risk-based assessment of shipments...
The information can then be used to pre-clear the consignments or keep them for further checks based on the contents and the information thrown up by the risk-assessment system...
A pilot to test pre-arrival cargo data exchange is already on with the Maldives and discussions are now on with countries including South Korea to expand this system..
New Delhi has already inked an agreement for the pre-arrival exchange of country-of-origin certificates with South Korea.. "Pre-arrival data exchange is being examined," a senior government official told ET...
Pre-arrival data exchange could form part of a future revamp of the country's customs framework to boost trade facilitation...
