AEO and MOOWR seminar: DGTS, CII Gujarat boost trade facilitation in Ahmedabad
Synopsis
India's trade facilitation push got a local boost in Ahmedabad, where customs officials and industry leaders gathered to demystify two underutilised schemes — AEO and MOOWR — that can cut costs, speed up clearances and help Indian manufacturers compete globally. With the DGTS Ahmedabad Zonal Unit having reached over 1.5 lakh taxpayers in a year, the outreach is scaling fast.
Key Takeaways
DGTS and CII Gujarat co-organised an awareness seminar on AEO and MOOWR schemes in Ahmedabad on 19 June .
Ahmedabad Commissioner of Customs Manish Kulhary delivered the keynote, covering eligibility, benefits and procedural requirements of both schemes.
AEO and MOOWR reduce transaction costs, support compliant supply chains and improve India's global trade competitiveness, according to speakers.
CII Gujarat Logistics Panel Convenor Samir Shah linked the schemes to Make in India , PM Gati Shakti and the National Logistics Policy .
The DGTS Ahmedabad Zonal Unit conducted over 100 outreach programmes in the past year, reaching more than 1.5 lakh taxpayers .
The unit oversees Gujarat , Rajasthan , Madhya Pradesh , Chhattisgarh , Daman and Diu , and Dadra and Nagar Haveli .
The Directorate General of Taxpayer Services (DGTS), in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Gujarat, organised a seminar in Ahmedabad on Friday, 19 June to raise industry awareness of two key trade facilitation schemes — the Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) programme and the Manufacture and Other Operations in Warehouse Regulations (MOOWR). The event brought together customs officials, industry representatives and stakeholders to discuss how both schemes can strengthen India's trade ecosystem and improve business competitiveness.
Key Developments at the Seminar
Sumit Kumar, Principal Additional Director General of the DGTS Ahmedabad Zonal Unit, opened the proceedings by underscoring the organisation's taxpayer-centric mandate. He reminded participants that businesses can directly approach the DGTS Ahmedabad Zonal Unit with grievances, suggestions and difficulties related to Customs and GST matters.
Manish Kulhary, Ahmedabad Commissioner of Customs, delivered the keynote presentation, outlining the policy framework, eligibility criteria, operational benefits and procedural requirements of both the AEO programme and MOOWR regulations. He noted their direct contribution to trade facilitation and the competitiveness of domestic industry.
What the AEO and MOOWR Schemes Offer
Speakers at the seminar emphasised that both schemes support secure and compliant supply chains, reduce transaction costs, and help Indian businesses compete more effectively in international markets. The AEO programme grants certified businesses expedited customs clearance and reduced inspections, while MOOWR allows manufacturers to defer customs duties on imported inputs used in production within bonded warehouses.
Samir Shah, Convenor of the CII Gujarat Logistics Panel, highlighted that the two initiatives have gained increasing relevance alongside national programmes such as Make in India, PM Gati Shakti and the National Logistics Policy. He described AEO and MOOWR as important tools for facilitating trade and supporting manufacturing growth.
Technical Sessions and Industry Interaction
The technical session featured presentations by senior customs officers and industry experts covering AEO certification, compliance requirements, procedural benefits and the operational advantages available under the MOOWR framework. Participants received guidance on how businesses can use these schemes to optimise supply chains and improve operational efficiency.
An interactive question-and-answer session was led by Shree Ram Vishnoi, Ahmedabad Additional Commissioner of Customs, along with Naveen Chowdhary and Samir Shah. The panel addressed industry concerns on operational, procedural and compliance-related issues concerning both schemes.
DGTS Outreach: Scale and Reach
The seminar also spotlighted the broader role of the DGTS, which was established by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) in August 2015 to strengthen taxpayer facilitation. The Ahmedabad Zonal Unit, formed in November 2015, oversees operations across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, as well as the Union Territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
According to DGTS, the zonal unit conducted more than 100 outreach programmes in the past year, engaging with over 1.5 lakh taxpayers across the region. Taxpayer education, grievance redressal, stakeholder engagement and public outreach remain central to its efforts to improve voluntary compliance and facilitate trade.
As India continues to push for greater integration with global supply chains, events such as this are expected to play a growing role in helping businesses — particularly small and mid-sized exporters — unlock the full benefits of schemes that remain underutilised in several sectors.
Point of View
Yet industry uptake — particularly among mid-sized manufacturers — remains patchy. Seminars like this one are necessary but not sufficient; the real gap is last-mile guidance for businesses that lack dedicated compliance teams. The DGTS's figure of 1.5 lakh taxpayer touchpoints sounds impressive, but the quality of those engagements matters more than the count. If India is serious about its logistics cost-reduction targets under the National Logistics Policy, converting awareness into actual AEO certifications and MOOWR enrolments is the metric that should be tracked.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the AEO programme in India?
The Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) programme is a customs facilitation initiative that grants certified businesses benefits such as expedited clearances, reduced inspections and priority processing. It is designed to reward compliant traders and strengthen secure supply chains in line with global customs standards.
What is the MOOWR scheme and who can benefit?
The Manufacture and Other Operations in Warehouse Regulations (MOOWR) scheme allows manufacturers to import inputs into bonded warehouses without paying customs duties upfront, deferring the duty until goods are cleared for domestic sale. Exporters who use imported inputs in production can benefit significantly, as duties are waived entirely on the portion used in exports.
Why did DGTS and CII Gujarat organise this seminar?
The seminar was held to increase industry awareness of AEO and MOOWR, two schemes that remain underutilised despite offering significant cost and compliance benefits. Officials aimed to address procedural doubts, share practical guidance and connect businesses directly with customs authorities for grievance redressal.
How large is the DGTS Ahmedabad Zonal Unit's outreach?
According to DGTS, the Ahmedabad Zonal Unit conducted more than 100 outreach programmes in the past year, engaging over 1.5 lakh taxpayers. The unit covers Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
How do AEO and MOOWR connect to India's national trade policies?
CII Gujarat Logistics Panel Convenor Samir Shah noted that both schemes have grown in relevance alongside Make in India, PM Gati Shakti and the National Logistics Policy. They are positioned as operational tools that help manufacturers reduce logistics costs and compete more effectively in international markets.
