The Centre government, during the COVID-19 pandemic, expedited the clearance process for the import of nebulizers, oxygen concentrators, and other life-saving medical devices. During the second wave, we saw the catastrophe caused by this SARS disease. Also, the Government issued new Import license to cater to the steep demand for such items amid the second wave of COVID in the country.
Importer license is not importer registration
People often confuse importer license with importer registration. And they’re not at fault. Both of them follow the conventions of LMPC certificate and both of them abide by the universal definition of the license. For the longest time, even we believed it to the be the case.
However, scrounging through the official notification opened our eyes to the truth. Both certificates are different.
In the case of import license, the permission is for the import of weights and measuring products.
In case of importer registration, the permission is for the import of every packaged product.
So, does that mean one requires both to get complete importing rights? Take a look at the next fact.
What businesses lacked? Importer license
The Legal Metrology Department issues the Importer license. The department is responsible for issuing certificates regarding the purchase, import, sales, distribution, and dealership of weighment and measurement products.
Therefore, the import license is necessary for any company to import and distribute the required medical equipment. The manufacturer of such equipment calibrates them in terms of the volume of the content they contain.
So, to ascertain that the imported commodity is competent to the standards set by the Metrology department, the dealers of such products are issued import licenses.
What were the needed life supports?
The licensed importers will have to make necessary declarations as required under the legal metrology rules after customs clearance but before hitting the market. These orders will be applicable to
- Oxygen Cylinders
- Nebulizers
- Cryogenic Cylinders
- Oxygen Canisters
- Ventilators
The Importers informed the officials in the legal metrology departments immediately after shipments hit India. This hastiness’s entire purpose was to avail these life-saving commodities to the needful who were on the brink of their life.
Does your business also need Import License?
Let us first understand that to ensure that if the
- To-be-imported goods are of certain standard quality, or
- The exporters conducted no monkey business in their procurement, or
- If they are suitable for the Indian market and Indian people or not,
- Also, if the requirement of a product is of great importance,
then the Legal Metrology Department issues the Import licenses to conduct the import business to willful entities.
Well, in any case, if you want to import certain products from a foreign land to sell and distribute it on Indian soil, then you must get your business an Import license.
What is an Import License?
Now, understand the very nature of the import license issued by the Legal Metrology department. Legal Metrology Import license are for the products whose manufacturer calibrates them in terms of volume, area, length, mass, or pressure. This License is not for importing every commodity from abroad. The registered importers can import only products used as a weighment and measurement units into the country using the Importer’s License.
Also Read: How to obtain CDSCO Registration in India?
Why should one get the license?
There are tons of benefits for a business registered as an Importer. First of all, there are fewer regularities and more tax benefits to running a business as a registered entity. For instance,
- The finance ministry waived off basic customs duty and health cess on imported oxygen and related equipment for three years.
- Also, the CBIC instructed its field officers to clear medical equipment shipments on the highest priority.
Therefore, you as a registered business will get far more priority by the Government and its authorities to conduct import businesses. After gaining such licenses, the importer can expeditiously provide the necessary medical equipment to provide it to the needful in such a great emergency.
If you are have an Import License for your business, you can reach out to us. We are the Registrationwalas, a legal consultancy firm that aids its clients in procuring all kinds of Legal Metrology related-licenses as well as other licenses.
