DGFT
If your export product already has a notified SION entry, applying for an Advance Authorisation is far simpler than most exporters expect — but only if the entry genuinely matches your product. In this video, we break down exactly how Standard Input Output Norms (SION) work, how they save you time compared to ad-hoc norms fixation, and where exporters commonly go wrong when relying on them.
SION is DGFT's (Directorate General of Foreign Trade) published answer to one critical question: how much of each input can you import duty-free to manufacture one unit of a given export product? These ratios are worked out by the Norms Committee and published product-by-product in the SION book, part of the Handbook of Procedures 2023, and updated from time to time through Public Notices.
We walk through:
✅ What SION is and how DGFT calculates and publishes these norms
✅ Why a notified SION entry means you skip the Norms Committee and avoid a separate norms filing
✅ How to file your Advance Authorisation application in ANF 4A using the SION serial number
✅ The three critical checks you MUST do before relying on a SION entry — tariff classification (ITC-HS code), full input coverage, and actual consumption ratio
✅ What "partial coverage" means and how to self-declare additional inputs under Paragraph 4.07 of the Handbook
✅ Why using a mismatched SION ratio can leave you short at export obligation closure
✅ SION vs Ad-hoc Fixation (Form ANF 4B) — the procedural differences, validity periods, and why ad-hoc norms are capped at one Authorisation (extendable up to two years only with Committee approval)
✅ Why self-declared norms remain provisional until ratified, and what happens if the Committee revises them downward (duty + interest due within 30 days)
✅ The standard Authorisation timelines: 12 months for imports (with one 12-month revalidation under Paragraph 4.39), and an 18-month export obligation period
✅ The closure process: applying for the Export Obligation Discharge Certificate (EODC) with bills of entry, shipping bills, bank realisation certificates, and the Chartered Accountant Certificate
✅ Why SION lists keep evolving — including the 7 new entries notified for chemical and allied products in August 2026 — and why you should always check the current database rather than relying on last year's answer
Important note: SION does NOT increase your duty saving. The saving under Advance Authorisation remains the same regardless of which norms route you use — SION, ad-hoc fixation, or self-declaration. What changes is how much procedure sits in front of you before you get there.
This video is meant to give exporters, CHAs, and trade compliance professionals a clear, practical understanding of how SION fits into the Advance Authorisation process under India's Foreign Trade Policy — helping you avoid common mistakes at the application and closure stages.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This video is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice on your specific case. Regulations, SION entries, and procedures are subject to change — always verify current provisions with DGFT's official database or a qualified trade consultant before filing.
If you'd like our team to check your product against the current SION list and take your Advance Authorisation application through to closure, the consultation link is in the description below.
Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
0:20 What a SION actually is
1:38 Does the entry actually fit
2:20 Why exporters prefer this route
3:48 What SION doesn't change
4:40 SION lists change, so check before you file
5:21 Finish
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