New baggage rules: Govt raises limit for duty-free imported goods to Rs 75,000

In another move benefiting consumers, the Union Budget for 2026-27 has proposed to slash the basic customs duty on all goods imported for personal use to 10%. “To rationalise the customs duty structure for goods imported for personal use, I propose to reduce the tariff rate on all dutiable goods imported for personal use from 20% to 10%,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her speech on Sunday.

The proposed cut in the customs duty to 10% will make personal use goods imported by Indians, such as new smartphones and other electronic items particularly from the United States – due to their more favourable base prices for new product models released earlier there – noticeably cheaper.

“…reduction in duties on personal imports and exemption of critical cancer medicines directly lower household costs,” said Harsh Bhuta, Managing Partner at Bhuta Shah & Co, a chartered accountancy firm.

In addition to halving the basic customs duty for personal use goods, the Budget has also proposed to exempt basic customs duty on 17 drugs or medicines that will bring relief to cancer patients, the government said. “The Budget also proposes to add seven more rare diseases for the purposes of exempting import duties on personal imports of drugs, medicines and Food for Special Medical Purposes used in their treatment,” the Finance Ministry said in a statement.