RBI shortens the deadline for exporters to bring home export proceeds from 15 months to nine

The Reserve Bank of India has amended the Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026, by a notification dated 22 September 2026 issued under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999. It was published in the Official Gazette on 24 September 2026 and takes effect from 1 October 2026. Regulation 5 of the principal regulations requires an exporter to realise and repatriate the full export value of goods and services within a set period. The amendment cuts that period from fifteen months to nine months.

For goods, the period runs from the date of shipment. For services, it runs from the date of invoice. For goods exported to a warehouse outside India, it runs from the date of sale from the warehouse. Where exports are invoiced or settled in Indian rupees, the longer period allowed under the first proviso is cut from eighteen months to twelve months.

Exporters already on the RBI's Caution List on 30 September 2026 under the 2015 export regulations will continue to be governed by those orders until removed from the list. A new regulation 20 empowers Authorised Dealer banks to handle export, import and merchanting trade transactions undertaken before 1 October 2026 that earlier required the RBI's approval.