The Government of India has extended the transition period for implementing the mandatory India Conformity Assessment Scheme (i-CAS)-Halal certification for specified meat and meat product exports to Egypt by another three months, taking the total transition period from nine to twelve months.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), in a notification issued on Monday, said the extension is intended to facilitate the completion of the onboarding and accreditation process for Egyptian Halal certification bodies.
The i-CAS-Halal framework governs the certification of specified meat and meat products exported from India to Egypt. The additional time is expected to help complete the necessary accreditation formalities and ensure a smoother transition for exporters.
The extension comes ahead of the likely visit of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to Egypt later this week.
DGFT Clarifies Inspection Certificate Requirements for Rice Exports
In a separate notification, the DGFT clarified the geographical scope of the mandatory Certificate of Inspection requirement for Basmati and non-Basmati rice exports.
The requirement will apply only to exports destined for European Union member states, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
Exports to other European countries will remain exempt from the Certificate of Inspection requirement until April 1, 2027.
The Certificate of Inspection is issued by the Export Inspection Council (EIC) and Export Inspection Agencies (EIAs).
The two notifications provide additional clarity on export certification requirements for Indian exporters dealing in meat products and rice.