The government has extended Component II of the RELIEF (Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation) scheme by six months until March 31, 2027, to support Indian exporters facing higher shipping and insurance costs amid geopolitical disruptions in West Asia.
The Department of Commerce said the extension aims to encourage exporters to obtain insurance cover from the Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) for eligible shipments to specified regions.
Under the scheme, eligible exporters can receive 95 per cent risk coverage, while protection is provided against increases in insurance premiums beyond pre-disruption levels during the eligible period.
The benefits apply to Standalone Policies and Whole Turnover Policies obtained on or after March 16, 2026. Eligible cargo categories include Full Container Load (FCL), Less than Container Load (LCL) and refrigerated (reefer) containers, excluding energy shipments.
Exporters seeking coverage under the initiative must submit claims and supporting documents through the ECGC customer portal at www.ecgcltd.in. Guidance on registration, generating user IDs and passwords, and filing claims is available through video tutorials on ECGC’s official YouTube channel, @ecgcltd7016.
Launched on March 19, 2026, RELIEF is designed to help Indian exporters manage extraordinary freight cost escalation, higher insurance premiums and war-related export risks arising from disruptions in the Gulf and the wider West Asian maritime corridor.
The extension is expected to strengthen export resilience, sustain trade flows and provide continued support to Indian exporters amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainties and maritime logistics disruptions.