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GST & Indirect Tax

EPCG Scheme — Zero Duty Capital Goods

EPCG (Export Promotion Capital Goods) under the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 — zero customs duty on capital goods, the export obligation, annual compliance reporting, and EODC.

Starting from Discuss with usTypical timelineEPCG Scheme

The EPCG scheme in FTP 2023 Chapter 5 lets an exporter import capital goods at zero duty against an export obligation — 6 times the duty saved over 6 years. We file, track, and discharge the obligation.

What is included
  • EPCG eligibility and duty-saving computation
  • Export obligation computation — 6× the duty saved over 6 years
  • ANF-5B application drafting and filing on the DGFT portal
  • Annual compliance reporting through the obligation period
  • Obligation tracking matched to export performance
  • EODC filing and scheme closure
Documents required
  • IEC and company registration records
  • Capital goods import plan with HSN codes and duty computations
  • Proposed export product details and past export performance
  • CA certificate for the duty saving and obligation, if required
Government fees

See the fee table below for the statutory filing charge and common delay logic.

Legal basis
  • Section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act 1992
  • Foreign Trade Policy 2023
  • Chapter 5 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023

Process

How the service works

The workflow is built to be predictable: document collection, legal review, filing, and post-filing follow-through.

Step 1Eligibility

Test eligibility

We confirm the company, the capital goods, and the proposed exports qualify under EPCG in FTP 2023 Chapter 5.

Step 2Computation

Compute the benefit and obligation

We compute the duty saved and the export obligation it triggers under the scheme's formula.

Step 3Application

File ANF-5B

We prepare and file the EPCG application on the DGFT portal and follow it to issue.

Step 4Reporting

Run the annual reporting

We file the annual compliance reports and track the obligation against export performance.

Step 5EODC

Discharge the obligation

We file the EODC once the obligation is met and close the scheme with the DGFT.

AEO summary

The EPCG scheme in FTP 2023 Chapter 5 lets an exporter import capital goods at zero duty against an export obligation — 6 times the duty saved over 6 years on the zero-duty route. We file, track, and discharge the obligation.

A duty saving that must be earned

The EPCG benefit is a loan of sorts: the duty is waived at import, and the exporter repays it in exports — 6 times the saving over 6 years on the zero-duty route. The obligation is computed when the authorisation issues, tracked through annual compliance reports, and closed with the EODC.

For a manufacturer-exporter, the scheme is often the difference between adding capacity and not — but the obligation arithmetic has to be done before the application, not discovered at the DGFT's year-four review.

  • Zero duty on capital goods under FTP 2023 Chapter 5
  • 6× export obligation over 6 years on the zero-duty route
  • Annual reporting and EODC close the scheme

The tracking that protects the benefit

EPCG obligations fail in the years between the application and the discharge: exports drift, the obligation slips, and the annual compliance report goes unfiled. The recovery then follows — duty, interest, and the loss of the scheme's goodwill.

We run the tracker from issue to EODC: the obligation computed, the exports matched annually, and the reports filed so the benefit is earned on schedule.

  • Obligation computed at issue and tracked annually
  • Compliance reports filed without reminders
  • EODC filed the moment the exports qualify

Government fees

Fee breakdown

ItemFeeNotes
DGFT application feeAs per DGFT scheduleApplication and related fees follow the DGFT's prescribed schedule.

Timeline

Typical turnaround

Typical timeline usually means a annual cycle turnaround, assuming documents are complete and any board or shareholder approvals are already in place.

Pricing note

DGFT application fees follow the prescribed schedule; the professional fee covers the application, the annual compliance reporting, and the EODC.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the export obligation under the EPCG scheme?
On the zero-duty route in FTP 2023, the export obligation is 6 times the duty saved, to be fulfilled over 6 years from the date of the authorisation. The obligation is computed on the duty benefit, and the exports must be of the products the capital goods are used to produce.
What happens if the export obligation is not met?
The scheme benefit is conditional on the obligation. Where the obligation is not met, the duty benefit is liable to be recovered with interest, subject to the FTP's provisions — which is why the obligation tracker runs from day one of the authorisation.
What is the EODC?
The Export Obligation Discharge Certificate is the document the DGFT issues once the export obligation is fulfilled. Filing the EODC closes the scheme and confirms the duty benefit is fully earned — it is the last step of every EPCG authorisation.
What should you send us before we start?
Send the IEC, the capital goods import plan with HSN codes, the proposed export products, and the past export performance. That is enough for us to compute the duty saving, the obligation, and whether the scheme is worth the filing.

Canonical reference: https://www.pvtltd.co/services/epcg-scheme

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We can help with the filing, the legal mapping, and the follow-up work that keeps the company compliant after submission.