India amends foreign trade policy, prohibits import of goods made using forced labour

The Indian government has amended the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP), 2023 to prohibit the import of goods produced or manufactured using forced labour.

Besides strengthening its trade policy framework, this further aligns domestic regulations with internationally recognised labour standards, IANS reported.

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The latest move comes amid a US investigation into forced labour practices across 60 nations, including India, according to PTI.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has issued a notification inserting a new provision — Paragraph 2.20B — into the FTP.

“The import of goods produced or manufactured, wholly or in part, through the use of forced labour is prohibited”, read the paragraph.

This empowers Centre to prohibit the import of goods found to have been produced, wholly or partly, through the use of forced labour. Notably, the amendments are set to come into force 30 days after their publication in the Official Gazette.

Under the revised policy, imports of goods that have been manufactured using forced labour will be prohibited, while Centre will hold the authority to notify specific products for import restrictions based on the findings of an inquiry or any other material it considers appropriate.

According to IANS report, the latest notification provides for an inquiry mechanism wherein the DGFT will examine whether imported goods have been produced using forced labour.

Also, the DGFT introduced a formal definition of “forced labour” under Chapter 11 of the FTP by adopting the definition contained in the International Labour Organization’s Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29).

Forced labour refers to “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,” read the official notification.