India's Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has announced a significant decision to temporarily open all of the country's sea and air ports to foreign cargo diverted due to the ongoing blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, citing international media reports, this measure allows for the unloading, storage, and transshipment of foreign containerized cargo within India until October 31, 2026.
Under the CBIC directive, all such cargo must remain under strict customs supervision and is designated exclusively for international transit or re-export purposes. The directive explicitly prohibits the sale or consumption of these goods within the domestic Indian market.
The strategic decision aims to ensure the continuity of international trade and logistics by leveraging India's transport infrastructure amid the escalating crisis in the Middle East, which has disrupted traditional shipping routes.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical chokepoint for global energy and trade. On August 19, US President Donald Trump announced that the US military had successfully lifted the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, declaring it open for shipping. However, Iranian authorities have maintained that vessels must coordinate their transit routes with Tehran to gain passage through the waterway.
