FFFAI – FEDERATION OF FREIGHT FORWARDERS’ ASSOCIATIONS IN INDIA participated in the 20th Customs Consultative Group (CCG) Meeting, chaired by Shri Yogendra Garg, Special Secretary & Member (Customs), CBIC, along with Shri S. K. Sharma, Principal Director General, Directorate General of Export Promotion (DGEP). Held in Kolkata on 13–14 July 2026, the meeting brought together senior CBIC officials and representatives of leading trade bodies to discuss key policy and operational issues related to Customs administration and trade facilitation.
FFFAI, the apex national body representing Customs Brokers, Freight Forwarders and logistics service providers through its member associations across India, actively works with the Government and industry stakeholders to promote trade facilitation, policy reforms, skill development and logistics excellence.
The FFFAI delegation included Mr. Amit Kamat, Chairman; Mr. Dushyant Mulani, Immediate Past Chairman; Mr. S Natarajan , Chairman-Elect; and Mr. sudip dey, Honorary Secretary.
During the meeting, FFFAI presented a comprehensive set of recommendations based on feedback received from member associations across the country. The proposals focused on improving customs procedures, reducing logistics costs, strengthening ease of doing business and enhancing the efficiency of India’s international trade ecosystem.
Key recommendations included:
Incorporating key CBIC instructions into the Customs Brokers Licensing Regulations (CBLR), 2018.
Promoting a trust-based compliance framework by reducing unnecessary litigation and protecting Customs Brokers in interpretational disputes.
Implementing comprehensive reforms in Faceless Assessment.
Enhancing SWIFT 2.0, ICEGATE and CBLMS for improved system efficiency and user experience.
Ensuring time-bound processing of refund claims and simplifying customs procedures.
Strengthening coordination with Participating Government Agencies (PGAs) for faster issuance of NOCs and laboratory reports.
Improving infrastructure and policy measures to reduce cargo dwell time, accelerate clearances and lower logistics costs.
The discussions were constructive, with detailed deliberations on practical challenges faced by the trade across various customs locations.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr. Amit Kamat, Chairman, FFFAI, said:
“The Customs Consultative Group remains an important platform for meaningful dialogue between Customs and trade. We appreciate CBIC’s continued engagement with stakeholders and are confident that the recommendations presented by FFFAI will further strengthen trade facilitation and improve the competitiveness of Indian logistics. We look forward to continued collaboration with CBIC to implement solutions that promote efficiency, transparency and ease of doing business.”
