Govt extends RELIEF scheme for exporters till March 2027 amid West Asia crisis

The Commerce Ministry has said the extension of the Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation (RELIEF) scheme by six months, until March 31, 2027, underscores the government’s commitment to strengthening export resilience amid continuing geopolitical tensions and maritime logistics uncertainties.

Launched on March 19, RELIEF aims to cushion exporters against sharp increases in freight costs and insurance premia, as well as war-related export risks arising from disruptions in the Gulf and the wider West Asian maritime corridor, according to a Commerce Department statement issued on Monday.

The latest extension follows an earlier extension of the scheme’s timeline until September 30. “Component II of the initiative aims to encourage exporters to obtain Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) cover for upcoming shipments to specified regions by providing 95 per cent risk coverage.

The benefit is available for standalone policies and whole-turnover policies obtained on or after March 16, 2026,” the statement said. Under this component, eligible exporters are protected against increases in insurance premia beyond pre-disruption levels during the eligible period.

Coverage includes full container load (FCL), less than container load (LCL) and refrigerated (reefer) cargo, excluding energy shipments. Some exporters have sought greater clarity on the documentation required to claim benefits under the scheme.

“We need more clarity on how to obtain shipping line bills that need to be submitted to avail of the scheme’s benefits,” a Mumbai-based exporter said. The Commerce Department said exporters seeking coverage under RELIEF must submit claims and supporting documents through the ECGC customer portal.

Guidance on generating user IDs and passwords, completing exporter registration and submitting claims is available through dedicated video tutorials on ECGC’s official YouTube channel, it added.