The Indian government has upgraded the ICEGATE e-payment platform by introducing a Payment Aggregator facility as an authorized mode for customs duty. This significant update allows importers and exporters to settle duties instantly via Credit Cards and Debit Cards, moving beyond the limitations of traditional internet banking.
As per the new Customs (Electronic Cash Ledger) Regulations 2026, these transactions are routed through the Electronic Cash Ledger (ECL) in real-time, ensuring that duty accounting is instantaneous. This modernization is specifically designed to eliminate administrative bottlenecks, reduce the time and cost of EXIM operations, and facilitate the faster release of cargo. Currently, major institutions like ICICI, IOB, SBI, and HDFC are onboarded, with a dedicated user manual now available on the ICEGATE portal to assist stakeholders in adopting this transparent and flexible payment ecosystem.