- About ICES
- The Indian Customs EDI System (ICES) is designed to exchange/transact customs clearance related information electronically using Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). A large number of documents that trade, transport and regulatory agencies (collectively called Trading Partners) are required to submit/ receive in the process of live customs clearance are now being processed online.ICES is now operational at 252 major customs locations handling nearly 98% of India's International trade in terms of import and export consignments. ICES has two aspects:
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Internal Automation of the Custom House for a comprehensive, paperless, fully automated customs clearance system that makes the functioning
of Customs clearance transparent and efficient.
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Online, real-time electronic interface with the trade, transport, Banks and regulatory agencies concerned with customs clearance of import and export cargo through ICEGATE.
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Major Components of Indian Custom automation.
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ICES automatically receive and process all incoming messages. ICES generate all outgoing messages automatically at the appropriate stage
of the clearance process.
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ICEGATE is the interface of ICES with the external world for customs clearance related messages and sharing of trade Statistics/Customs
clearance data with licensing and regulatory agencies such as DGFT, DGCI&S, Ministry of Steel,RBI etc.
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Single Window Interface for facilitating trade (SWIFT),The ICES allow importers and exporters, the facility to lodge their clearance
documents online at a single point only. Required permissions, if any, from other regulatory agencies is obtained online without the trader having to approach these agencies. The Single Window Interface for Trade (SWIFT), has reduced interface with Governmental agencies, dwell time and the cost of doing business.
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E-Sanchit to facilitate trade paperless processing of documents has been introduced. The idea is to reduce physical interface between
customs regulatory agencies and the trade and to increase the speed of clearance.
