India has requested ASEAN countries to temporarily accept Indian imports without a certificate of origin due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the resulting lockdown, according to media reports.
A certificate of origin is submitted to the customs authority of the importing country justifying a product’s eligibility for entry.
Indian agencies permitted to issue the certificate of origin under India’s free trade agreement (FTA), which include comprehensive economic cooperation agreements (CECA); comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) and preferential trade agreements (PTAs) are shut at present under the mandated lockdown.
These certificates would be issued retrospectively by Indian agencies after they offices resume functioning. India has agreements with countries like Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Malaysia.