Customs duties on 17 cancer drugs slashed, eases baggage rules

The Budget 2026-27 has simplified customs regime by rationalising exemptions, waiving customs duty on 17 cancer drugs, while easing baggage rules and reducing duty to 10 per cent on goods imported for personal use.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday unveiled a “trust-based” customs regime, which will have a single window system for cargo clearances, lesser verification for regular importers with trusted longstanding supply chains, easier duty payment norms for Authorised Economic Operators (AEOs) and use of AI in scanning at ports.