The Hindu Business Line : Customs duty removed on 82 items from Thailand

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The 82 items include colour picture tubes, gearboxes, air or vacuum pumps, compressors, printed circuits, line telephone sets with cordless, spindles, fans, salt, apples, durians, crab, durum wheat and mangoes.

New Delhi , Sept. 2

In keeping with its commitment, India has eliminated customs duty on 82 items that formed part of the early harvest scheme (EHS) in the India-Thailand Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

From September 1 this year, duty-free access to the Indian market is available for these 82 items from Thailand. They include colour picture tubes, gearboxes, air or vacuum pumps, compressors, printed circuits, line telephone sets with cordless, spindles, fans, salt, apples, durians, crab, durum wheat and mangoes.

The EHS was implemented from September 1, 2004, to accelerate the realisation of benefits to both the countries from the FTA. As per the EHS, both India and Thailand were required to cut the applied tariffs on the agreed 82 items by 50 per cent in the first year (September 1, 2004-August 31, 2005), 75 per cent in the second year and eliminate customs duties from September 1, 2006.

When contacted, a Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) spokesperson confirmed that customs duties on the 82 items have been eliminated and the duty-free regime for these items under the Indo-Thai FTA has come into effect from September 1, 2006.

With the EHS fully implemented, the second phase of the FTA has begun and both countries are expected to have free trade regime by 2010. The India-Thailand FTA had evoked mixed reactions from various quarters. Corporate India has been expressing some concern that the FTA may lead to a huge surge in imports from Thailand, while exports from India may not benefit due to the small size of the Thailand market.

India's exports to Thailand during fiscal 2005-06 stood at Rs 4,703 crore, up 16.12 per cent from the export level of Rs 4,050 crore recorded in 2004-05. On the other hand, imports from Thailand increased by 36.76 per cent during 2005-06 to touch Rs 5,320 crore as compared to the import level of Rs 3,890 crore recorded in the previous year.

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