Fuel in tanks of Indian aircrafts exempt from customs duty

Revenue department Friday said fuel in tanks of aircraft of all Indian airlines entering the country are exempt from customs duty.

As per a notification of 1994, fuel in the tank of an aircraft of Indian Airlines or Indian Air Force is exempt from customs and additional duty "when imported into India".

Responding to representations from the industry on the notification, the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) said exemption is available to all Indian airlines.

"The matter has been examined by the Board and it is observed that in reference (to the notification) exemption is not limited to the 'Indian Airlines' (now called as 'National Aviation Company of India Limited').

"It is available to any Indian airline, in other words, to all Indian airlines," it said.

As per the 1994 notification, the duty exemption is given when the quantity of the fuel is equal to the quantity of the same type of fuel which was taken out of India in the tanks.

Also, the rate of duty of customs or Central Excise leviable on such fuel should be same at the time of the arrivals and departures of such aircraft.