Customs duty: India must reform its default payment process to minimize logistical delays
For such consignments, the release time at the country’s largest container port has fallen to about 41 hours in 2026, against roughly 77 hours for cargo that must pay before clearance. Yet, the club is microscopic. Only about 6,000 firms hold AEO status, mostly tier 1, which permits no deferral, while India has around 672,000 importers and exporters.
