**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has issued Notification No. 23/2026-27 to prohibit the import of goods produced through forced labour by amending the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023. This amendment introduces Paragraphs 2.20B and 11.64 to align Indian trade regulations with international labor standards, effective immediately. The government will periodically notify specific prohibited goods based on inquiries conducted by the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Prohibition of Forced Labour Goods (Para 2.20B)**
* The import of goods produced wholly or partially using forced labour is now prohibited.
* The Central Government reserves the authority to notify specific goods that fall under this prohibition over time.
* Prohibitions will be based on inquiry findings or other relevant materials considered appropriate by the government.
**Definition of Forced Labour (Para 11.64)**
* "Forced Labour" is defined as any work or service exacted under the menace of penalty where the person has not offered themselves voluntarily.
* This definition is explicitly aligned with the International Labour Organization (ILO) Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29).
**Enforcement and Procedures**
* The DGFT is mandated to conduct inquiries into the use of forced labour in the production of goods.
* The specific procedure for these inquiries is prescribed in the Handbook of Procedures, 2023.
* The amendment strengthens India's commitment to ethical trade practices and aligns the FTP with international prison labour standards.
**Impact Analysis**
**Importers and Traders**
**Impact**
They are restricted from importing any goods identified by the government as being produced via forced labour. Supply chains involving prison labour or involuntary work are now subject to regulatory risk.
**Action Required**
Must monitor periodic government notifications for lists of prohibited goods and ensure that their international suppliers comply with the labor standards defined under the ILO Forced Labour Convention.
**Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)**
**Impact**
The DGFT is now the primary investigative body responsible for verifying labor practices in the production of imported goods.
**Action Required**
Must establish and follow inquiry procedures as per the Handbook of Procedures, 2023, and provide findings to the Central Government for subsequent notifications.
**Central Government (Ministry of Commerce and Industry)**
**Impact**
Gains the legal authority to enforce ethical trade standards and ban specific products based on human rights considerations.
**Action Required**
Review inquiry materials and periodically notify the specific items that are prohibited for import under Para 2.20B.
Key Entities Referenced
Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023: The primary policy document being amended to insert Para 2.20B and Para 11.64 to prohibit the import of goods produced using forced labour.
Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992: The underlying legislation (Sections 3 and 5) that empowers the government to regulate and prohibit specific imports.
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT): The primary regulatory authority responsible for implementing trade policy and conducting inquiries into forced labour usage.
ILO Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29): The international treaty used to define 'forced labour' within this notification to align domestic trade practices with international standards.
Handbook of Procedures, 2023: The referenced document that prescribes the specific inquiry procedures to be followed by the DGFT regarding prohibited imports.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
सी.जी.-डी.एल.-अ.-16072026-274548
CG-DxLx-xEG-I1D6H0x7x2x0 26-274548
xxxGIDExxx
असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग II—खण् ड 3—उप-खण्ड (ii)
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (ii)
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 3716] िई ददल्ली, मगं लवार, िुलाई 14, 2026/आषाढ 23, 1948
No. 3716] NEW DELHI, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2026/ASHADHA 23, 1948
वाजणज्य और उद्योग मत्रं ालय
(वाजणज्य जवभाग)
(जवदेि व्यापार महाजिदेिालय )
अजधसचू िा
िई ददल्ली, 13 िुलाई, 2026
स.ं 23 /2026-27
जवषय: बलपवू कव श्रम का उपयोग करके उत्पाददत माल के आयात पर प्रजतबधं - जवदेि व्यापार िीजत (एफटीपी) 2023 म ें
परै ा 2.20ख और परै ा 11.64 को िाजमल करि ेके सबं धं म।ें
का.आ. 3879(अ).— समय-समय पर यथा संिोजधत जवदेि व्यापार िीजत (एफटीपी) 2023 के परै ा 1.02 और 2.01
के साथ पठित, जवदेि व्यापार (जवकास एव ं जवजियमि) अजधजियम, 1992 की धारा 5 के साथ पठित धारा 3 द्वारा प्रदत्त
िजियों का प्रयोग करते हुए, केंद्र सरकार जिम्नािुसार जवदेि व्यापार िीजत, 2023 म ेंएक िया पैरा 2.20 ख िाजमल करती
ह ैिो इस अजधसूचिा के आजधकाठरक रािपत्र म ेंप्रकािि की तारीख स े 30 ददिों की समाजि के बाद प्रभावी होगा।
5375 GI/2026 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(ii)]
परै ा 2.20 ख : बलपवू कव श्रम का उपयोग करके उत्पाददत या जिर्मतव माल के आयात पर प्रजतबधं :
बलपूववक श्रम का उपयोग करके, पणू वतः या आंजिक रूप स,े उत्पाददत या जिर्मवत वस्ट्तओंु का आयात जिजषद्ध ह।ै केंद्र सरकार
समय-समय पर अजधसूचिा के माध्यम स े उि वस्ट्तुओं को जिर्दवष्ट कर सकती ह,ै जििका आयात इस प्रावधाि के अतं गतव
जिजषद्ध होगा। ऐसा करत ेसमय सरकार ऐसी िांच के जिष्कषों अथवा अन्य दकसी सामग्री, जिसे वह उपयिु समझे, को ध्याि
म ें रखेगी। ऐसी वस्ट्तुओं के उत्पादि म ें बलपूववक श्रम के उपयोग की िांच करि े की प्रदिया महाजिदेिक जवदेि व्यापार द्वारा
प्रदिया पुस्ट्तक, 2023 म ेंजिधावठरत की िाएगी।
2) एफटीपी, 2023 के अध्याय 11 (पठरभाषा) के तहत एक िया परै ा 11.64 िोडा गया ह ै
11.64 "बलपवू कव श्रम" स ेअजभप्राय ऐसे समस्ट्त काय वया सेवा स ेह,ै िो दकसी व्यजि स ेदकसी दडं अथवा दडं के भय के अधीि
कराई िाती ह ैतथा जिसके जलए उि व्यजि िे स्ट्वेच्छा स ेअपिी सेवाए ँ प्रदाि िहीं की हों, िैसा दक अंतरावष्ट्रीय श्रम संगिि
के बलपूववक श्रम अजभसमय, 1930 (संख्या 29) म ेंपठरभाजषत दकया गया ह।ै
अजधसचू िा का प्रभाव: यह अजधसूचिा एफटीपी, 2023 म ेंपैरा 2.20ख िाजमल करती ह,ै जिससे केंद्र सरकार को अजधसूचिा
द्वारा, बलपूववक श्रम के उपयोग के माध्यम स ेपूणव या आंजिक रूप स ेउत्पाददत या जिर्मवत वस्ट्तओंु के आयात को जिजषद्ध करि े
का अजधकार जमलता ह।ै यह अजधसूचिा अंतराष्ट्रव ीय श्रम सगं िि के बलपूववक श्रम अजभसमय, 1930 (संख्या 29) के अिुरूप
"बलपूववक श्रम" की पठरभाषा जिधावठरत करि ेहते ुिया पैरा 11.64 भी िाजमल करती ह।ै इसके माध्यम स ेबलपूववक श्रम का
उपयोग करके उत्पाददत वस्ट्तओंु के आयात को जिजषद्ध करिे सबं ंधी एफटीपी के प्रावधािों को और अजधक सुदढ़ृ दकया गया
ह।ै इस अजधसूचिा के प्रावधाि इसके रािपत्र म ें प्रकािि की जतजथ स े 30 ददिों की अवजध समाि होिे के पश्चात ् प्रभावी
होंगे।
इस े वाजणज्य एव ं उद्योग मंत्री के अिुमोदि स े िारी दकया िाता ह।ै
[फा. स.ं के-31013/1/2026-डीआइआर एिएएफटीए-भाग(4)]
लव अग्रवाल,महाजिदेिक जवदिे व्यापार एव ं पदेि अपर सजचव
MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
(Department of Commerce )
(DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF FOREIGN TRADE VANIJYA BHAWAN)
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 13th July, 2026
No. 23 /2026-27
Subject: Prohibition on Import of Goods Produced Using Forced Labour – Insertion of Para 2.20B
and Para 11.64 in the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 – Reg.
S.O. 3879(E).— In exercise of powers conferred by Section 3 read with Section 5 of Foreign Trade
(Development & Regulation) Act, 1992, read with paragraph 1.02 and 2.01 of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP)
2023, as amended from time to time, the Central Government hereby inserts a new Para 2.20B in Foreign
Trade Policy, 2023 as follows with immediate effect:
Para 2.20B: Prohibition of import of goods produced using forced labour:
The import of goods produced, wholly or in part, using forced labour is prohibited. The Central
Government may, from time to time, notify the goods the import of which shall be prohibited under this
paragraph, having regard to such enquiry or other material as it may consider appropriate. The procedure
for enquiry by the Director General of Foreign Trade into the use of forced labour in the production of
such goods is prescribed in the Handbook of Procedures, 2023.[भाग II—खण् ड 3(ii)] भारत का रािपत्र : असाधारण 3
2) A new para 11.64 is added under Chapter 11 (Definition) of the FTP, 2023
11.64 “Forced Labour” means all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of
any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily, as defined under the ILO
Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29).
Effect of the Notification: Paragraph 2.20B of the FTP, 2023 has been inserted to prohibit the import
of goods produced wholly or in part using forced labour, with immediate effect. Further, the term "Forced
Labour" has been defined by insertion of new Para 11.64 under Chapter 11 (Definitions) of the FTP, 2023,
in accordance with the definition contained in the ILO Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29). This
amendment enables the Central Government to impose prohibitions, wherever considered necessary, on
products relating to forced labour,
in addition to products of prison labour, thereby aligning the FTP with internationally recognised labour
standards and strengthening India's commitment to promoting ethical and responsible trade practices.
This is issued with the approval of Minister of Commerce & Industry.
[F. No. K-31013/1/2026-DIR NAFTA-Part(4)]
LAV AGARWAL, Director General of Foreign Trade & Addl. Secy.
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and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.