Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs vide notification dated 28th November, 2022 has launched Digital Import Clearance System of AQCS-ICS. Previously Six Partner Government Agencies (PGAs) were brought on board the Single Window Interface for Facilitating Trade (SWIFT). This platform enabled importers to lodge their clearance documents online through ICEGATE at a single point, facilitated risk- based inspection and an Online NoC from the PGAs could be obtained, without the trader having to approach these agencies. These agencies were Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Plant Quarantine (PQ), Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS), Central Drugs Standards Control Organization (CDSCO), Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), and a lab module for the Textile Committee (TC) to provide its NOC for live consignments.
To further enhance SWIFT, the Digital Import Clearance System of AQCS-ICS has been developed by AQCS for purposes of improved functioning. This would enable migrating from Online NoC through ICES to online message exchange mode, similar to that of FSSAI and PQMS. The AQCS-ICS shall be introduced from 01.12.2022.
