DGFT notifies authorised bodies for Preferential Certificate of Origin under India-Oman CEPA

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has formally updated the framework for issuing Preferential Certificates of Origin (CoO) in India by notifying the agencies competent to issue such certificates for exports under the India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (India-Oman CEPA).

This measure has been implemented through Public Notice No. 15/2026-27 dated 2 June 2026, whereby Appendix 2B of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 has been amended. Appendix 2B is the statutory list that specifies which organizations are authorised to issue Certificate of Origin (Preferential) in respect of various trade agreements entered into by India.

Statutory basis of the DGFT amendment

Powers exercised by DGFT

The DGFT has invoked its authority under:

  • paragraph 1.03 of Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023, and
  • paragraph 2.04 of FTP 2023,

both of which empower the Director General of Foreign Trade to issue, modify or clarify provisions of the policy, including specifying the entities that may perform particular trade facilitation functions.

Using these enabling provisions, the DGFT has made a targeted modification to Appendix-2B [List of Agencies Authorised to issue Certificate of Origin (CoO) (Preferential)] to cover the newly operational India-Oman CEPA.

Nature of the amendment

The amendment does not change the broader structure of Appendix 2B, but adds the India-Oman CEPA as a separate entry in the table of agreements for which Preferential CoO may be issued, along with a corresponding list of agencies designated to issue such certificates.

Key impact: India-Oman CEPA is now explicitly included in Appendix 2B, with identified authorised agencies empowered to issue Preferential CoO specifically for exports claiming benefits under this agreement.

Inclusion of India-Oman CEPA in Appendix 2B

New entry in the agreement list

Under the amendment, the following entry is introduced in Appendix 2B:

  • S. No. 21 – India-Oman — Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (India-Oman CEPA)

Against this agreement, a detailed list of agencies and offices has been specified as “Authorized Agencies” eligible to issue Preferential Certificates of Origin for exports from India to Oman under the CEPA.

Why including India-Oman CEPA in Appendix 2B matters

  1. Legal recognition for CoO issuance
    Inclusion in Appendix 2B provides legal backing for the listed agencies to issue CoO (Preferential) in relation to India-Oman CEPA. Without such notification, exporters and agencies would lack a clear legal framework for issuing and accepting these certificates.

  2. Facilitation of preferential tariff benefits
    Preferential CoO is a critical document for allowing imports into Oman (from India) to receive reduced or zero customs duty benefits as agreed under the CEPA. The notified agencies’ role is to verify origin and certify that goods comply with the agreement’s rules of origin.

  3. Clarity and uniformity for exporters
    Assessees engaged in exports to Oman under the CEPA now have a defined list of points of contact and competent authorities from whom they can obtain valid Preferential CoO.

Authorised agencies notified for India-Oman CEPA

The DGFT public notice specifies a comprehensive list of organisations that are empowered to issue Preferential Certificates of Origin under the India-Oman CEPA. These include central authorities, commodity boards, sector-specific agencies, and Special Economic Zones.

Central trade authority and allied bodies

The following central trade-regulating bodies have been designated: