DGFT extends enhanced insurance cover for West Asia exports till March 2027

Export consignments to West Asia will continue to receive enhanced insurance protection against payment defaults until March 31, 2027, according to a notification issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

The enhanced cover had earlier been available for shipments to West Asia sent until September 30. Through Notification No. 37/2026-27, dated September 30, 2026, the government has now extended the eligibility timeline under Component II of the Export Promotion Mission’s Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation (RELIEF).

“The eligibility timelines under Component II of the EPM RELIEF intervention are extended up to 31st March 2027 to support Indian exporters and mitigate logistics challenges arising out of the continuing West Asia Crisis,” DGFT said in the notification.

Component II of the RELIEF framework provides export credit insurance support for shipments to the Gulf, West Asia and North Africa. Under the scheme, exporters taking insurance cover from the Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) can receive credit-risk protection of up to 95%, compared with the standard 85-90% threshold normally provided by ECGC. The government is absorbing the additional premium required for this upgraded cover, which also extends to cargo transshipped through West Asian hubs.

The enhanced cover was initially introduced on March 19, 2026, as part of measures to support exporters affected by disruption in the region, with the latest extension providing a six-month buffer for Indian exporters to continue managing rising freight costs and insurance premiums caused by ongoing instability in West Asian maritime trade routes. The move forms part of the broader Export Promotion Mission, introduced by the government in early 2026 to help Indian companies navigate a volatile global trade environment.