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Nhava Sheva extends post facto export NOC relaxation to 31 December 2026

By the MedsAcross editorial teamDated October 1, 20263 min read

Short answer

Jawaharlal Nehru Custom House has extended to 31 December 2026 the interim relaxation that lets unapproved, new or banned drugs made for export clear with a CDSCO NOC obtained after manufacture. From 1 January 2027 these exports must fully follow the CDSCO Office Order of 30 April 2024, which affects lead times for products not approved in India.

Key takeaways

Public Notice 121/2026 of Jawaharlal Nehru Custom House extends the interim relaxation in Public Notice 88/2026 from 30 September 2026 to 31 December 2026.
The relaxation lets unapproved, new or banned drugs made solely for export clear customs when the CDSCO NOC was obtained after manufacture, if state approvals are in place.
After 31 December 2026 export clearance at Nhava Sheva is strictly subject to the CDSCO Office Order of 30 April 2024.
Exporters that are not manufacturers need a NOC from the CDSCO port office before customs clears drugs covered by the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
Shipping bill details must match the NOC, and a changed purchase order or overseas buyer needs a revised NOC before export.

What changed

On 20 July 2026 the Commissioner of Customs NS-II at Jawaharlal Nehru Custom House (JNCH), Nhava Sheva, issued Public Notice 88/2026 on the procedures and documents for export consignments of drugs and pharmaceuticals. Its paragraph 5.2 gave an interim relaxation: export clearance of unapproved, new or banned drugs could be allowed where the CDSCO NOC was obtained post facto, as long as the exporter held a valid NOC from the State or UT Licensing Authority, a valid product permission, a manufacturing licence and the other prescribed approvals. The relaxation was to end on 30 September 2026.

Public Notice 121/2026, listed on the JNCH notice page with the date 1 October 2026, extends that relaxation to 31 December 2026. After that date, export clearance is strictly subject to the CDSCO Office Order of 30 April 2024. All other terms of Public Notice 88/2026 stay the same.

The Office Order, as summarised in Public Notice 88/2026, withdrew the power of state authorities to issue NOCs for making unapproved, banned or new drugs solely for export from 15 May 2024. Since then the NOC must come from a CDSCO zonal office through the SUGAM portal, before the state authority grants the manufacturing licence and before the drug is made. The notice is listed on the CDSCO public notices page under 30 April 2024.

Who it affects

Indian manufacturers exporting drugs that are unapproved, new or banned in India through Nhava Sheva. Many named-patient and orphan products fall in this group when they are made in India for export only.
Exporters that are not manufacturers. Public Notice 88/2026 says they must produce all relevant documents before the Assistant Drugs Controller (ADC) of CDSCO at the port to obtain an ADC NOC, and customs then relies on that verification.
Overseas hospitals, importers, CROs and NGOs whose orders include such products and ship by sea from Nhava Sheva.

What it means for buyers

The extension gives exporters three more months to ship batches made before a CDSCO zonal NOC was in place. From 1 January 2027 a batch with the wrong order of approvals may not clear at Nhava Sheva, so buyers should expect exporters to check the date of the CDSCO NOC against the manufacturing licence before they confirm a delivery date.

The notice also asks that shipping bill particulars, such as description, brand, specification, quantity, weight and country of origin, match the NOC. If a purchase order cannot be fulfilled as approved, or the overseas buyer changes, a revised or new NOC is needed before export. A late change of consignee can therefore delay a shipment.

The notices were read directly from the JNCH website. How other ports and air cargo terminals apply the same Office Order was not checked.

What to do now

Ask the exporter whether each product is approved, new, unapproved or banned in India, and which port it will use.
For affected products, ask for the CDSCO NOC reference and confirm that it covers your purchase order and your organisation as consignee.
Keep consignee, quantity and pack details stable once the order is placed, since changes may need a revised NOC.
Where a batch was made before its CDSCO NOC, plan dispatch before 31 December 2026 or agree a later date that allows for a compliant batch.

For the wider picture, see Indian export rules buyers should know and pharma export documents explained.

This page explains how regulatory routes work. It is not legal or medical advice. Confirm current requirements with the regulator or a local agent before goods ship.

Questions and answers

Does this notice apply at every Indian port?

No. It was issued by the Commissioner of Customs NS-II at Jawaharlal Nehru Custom House, Nhava Sheva, and binds that custom house. Practice at other ports and air cargo terminals was not checked for this update, so ask the exporter how its port handles drug exports.

Which products are affected by the 31 December 2026 date?

The relaxation covers drugs that are unapproved, new or banned in India and are manufactured solely for export. Medicines already approved in India follow the ordinary export document rules, although a trading exporter still needs a port office NOC.

What happens if a buyer changes the purchase order after manufacture?

Public Notice 88/2026 says the exporter can obtain a revised, amended or new CDSCO NOC that reflects the new purchase order or overseas buyer, and it must do so before the goods are exported. Late changes to the consignee can therefore add time.

References

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