Chennai Air Cargo Commissionerate Issues Public Notice on CDSCO Compliance Verification for Regulated Imports

Overview

The Office of the Principal Commissioner of Customs (Air Cargo), Chennai-VII Commissionerate, has formally issued Public Notice No. 19/2026 dated 24th September 2026, directing Proper Officers to verify mandatory compliance documentation prior to granting Out-of-Charge (OOC) for imports of Cosmetics, Drugs, and Medical Devices that are processed through PGA-facilitated Bills of Entry.

This public notice flows directly from CBIC Circular No. 40/2026-Customs dated 03.09.2026, which had earlier prescribed detailed CDSCO checklists across seven distinct product categories. Importers, Customs Brokers, and all associated stakeholders operating at Chennai Air Cargo Complex are required to take immediate cognizance of these requirements to ensure uninterrupted cargo clearance.

Background and Regulatory Basis

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), functioning under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has been actively working toward improving compliance facilitation as part of the Government of India's broader Ease of Doing Business initiative. While easing regulatory procedures, CDSCO has simultaneously emphasized that imports of Cosmetics, Drugs, and Medical Devices must continue to meet statutory obligations prescribed under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the Rules framed thereunder.

To operationalize this balance between facilitation and compliance, CDSCO developed structured checklists for seven categories of regulated imports. These checklists were formally incorporated into CBIC Circular No. 40/2026-Customs dated 03.09.2026 as Annexure-A, creating a uniform verification framework for Customs officers across the country.

Public Notice No. 19/2026 issued by Chennai Air Cargo Commissionerate operationalizes this circular at the field level, placing a direct obligation on Proper Officers at the Air Cargo Complex, Meenambakkam, Chennai - 600 016 to carry out document verification before releasing goods.

Seven CDSCO Product Categories Covered

CBIC Circular No. 40/2026-Customs identifies the following seven categories of regulated imports for which CDSCO checklists have been prescribed:

  1. Cosmetics — covering all cosmetic products that fall within the regulatory ambit of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940
  2. Drugs including APIs and Finished Formulations — encompassing both Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients and finished drug products intended for the Indian market
  3. Specified Drug Imports for Personal Use or Patient Treatment — a category addressing limited-quantity imports necessitated by individual medical requirements
  4. Drugs for Examination, Test or Analysis — imports brought in solely for scientific, quality, or analytical purposes
  5. Medical Devices including IVDs (In Vitro Diagnostics) — covering the broad spectrum of medical devices regulated under applicable rules
  6. Specified Imports of Medical Devices — a sub-category addressing particular types of medical device imports with distinct compliance requirements
  7. Raw Materials and Components for Manufacture of Medical Devices — inputs procured from abroad for domestic manufacturing operations