Change for India regarding Duty Free Allowances

[El Presidente]

I am not sure how dogged India passenger Customs is, but there has been a change for those that frequent.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/duty-free-allowance-of-cigarettes-cigars-at-airports-halved/485603-3.html

New Delhi: In another step against smoking, the government has reduced by 50 per cent duty free allowance of cigarettes to 100 sticks and 25 cigars in airports. The decision comes barely a day after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley proposed 'sin tax' and announced increase in excise duty on cigarettes in the range of 11 to 72 per cent.

According to the recently notified Baggage (Amendment) Rules, 2014, passengers arriving from abroad to any Indian airport will now be entitled to bring into the country 100 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 125 grams of tobacco without payment of customs duty. However, there has been no change in the limit of bringing two litres of liquor or wine by a passenger.

Jaitley, while presenting his maiden budget on Thursday, had proposed increase in excise duty on cigarettes in the range of 11 per cent to 72 per cent. Similar increases were proposed on cigars, cheroots and cigarillos. "Likewise, the excise duty is being increased from 12 per cent to 16 per cent on pan masala, from 50 per cent to 55 per cent on unmanufactured tobacco and from 60 per cent to 70 per cent on gutkha and chewing tobacco. These are healthy measures and I hope everyone would welcome them from the point of view of human and fiscal health," the Finance Minister had said.

[LordAnubis]

I've been there twice and from what i remember all luggage gets put through a scanner. No one has ever asked me about anything, but ive never had more than a a few cigars anyway. I'm sure a bit of cash can happily let some boxes pass through just fine.

[kwsaw63]

Still better than Singapore's zero duty free allowance for tobacco!

[oliverdst]

Sin tax.

[CaptainQuintero]

Hindu sin tax lol?

[polarbear]

Still better than Singapore's zero duty free allowance for tobacco!

I've been though Singapore a few times over they years and have never had an issue with taking cigars into the country with me.

Once I put my bags through the scanner with over 70 cigars in a tupperware container and no one even raised an eye brow

[kwsaw63]

I've been though Singapore a few times over they years and have never had an issue with taking cigars into the country with me.

Once I put my bags through the scanner with over 70 cigars in a tupperware container and no one even raised an eye brow

Singapore Customs usually don't check and I've walked through many a time with cigars on me BUT the official stance is zero allowance for tobacco.

[polarbear]

Ah, that makes more sense