EXIM
Procedure for Testing and Inspection of Export-Import Commodities under Bharat Aayat Niryat Lab Setu
Deepak Purohit
Introduction:
Inspection of the quality and safety of Indian products is necessary to inspire confidence in importers as well as regulatory bodies of India’s trading partners. Formerly, exporters and importers often navigated manual, offline processes involving multiple agencies, which led to delays, limited transparency, and increased costs.
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) proposed to initiate the pilot launch of Bharat Aayat Niryat Lab Setu, intending to eliminate paperwork, enhance transparency and reduce the turnaround time for obtaining Port-Level Certification for regulatory scrutiny.
Bharat Aayat Niryat Lab Setu (B.A.N.L.S.) is a digital initiative by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) to establish a unified single-window platform for quality compliance in foreign trade. The Lab Setu system streamlines the quality certification process for Indian goods by enabling users to search, apply for, track, and digitally obtain QR-code-verified test reports online, thus enhancing the ease of doing business, reducing turnaround time, and strengthening global credibility through faster, paperless certification.
Key Stakeholders: The primary stakeholders involved are the Exporters or Importers (Applicants), the DGFT (as the nodal agency), and Accredited Laboratories or Inspection Agencies (the service providers).
Applicability Provisions
- Section 3 and 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992.
- Para 2, 3, 5 of DGFT Trade Notice No. 14/2025-26 dated October 27, 2025, concerning the Pilot Launch of Bharat Aayat Niryat Lab Setu.
Mandatory Requirements
- Possess valid DGFT website login credentials (which are linked to the Importer Exporter Code – IEC)
- Applicant’s primary details (address, GSTIN) must be accurate and updated in the Importer Exporter Code profile, for automatic synchronization with the Bharat Aayat Niryat Lab Setu (B.A.N.L.S.) platform.
Procedure to be Followed (Step-by-Step)
- Identification of Testing/ Certification Requirement:
Exporter/ Importer has to in first place ascertain whether the commodity which is exported or imported, requires a test report or certificate specifically mandated for port-level clearance (for quality verification or compliance), or not. - Search and Selection of Lab:
- Exporter/ Importer logs into the DGFT Trade Connect e-Platform using their DGFT credentials.
- Access the LabSetu -> View Labs and Tests feature, to search for an accredited laboratory/inspection agency and the specific test(s) required for the commodity.
- Submit Application:
- Enter detailed product and sample details, upload required sample images and supporting documents, and ensure the application is signed using DSC or Aadhaar e-Sign.
- Pay the test fee online upon submission. Such fee amount is determined by the selected agency.
- Report Generation and Verification:
- Exporter/ Importer can track the application’s real-time status using the “Track Application” feature.
- Upon successful completion and issuance of Test report by the authorized laboratory, the digitally issued test report/ certificate will be available for download from the Lab Setu dashboard.
- “Verify Report” feature on https://trade.gov.in/pages/labsetu or the mandatory QR code printed on the report, can be used for easy verification of its authenticity and traceability.
Note:
During the initial pilot phase (commenced from November 4, 2025, with application submission starting November 11, 2025), DGFT focuses on integrating laboratories primarily associated with specific statutory bodies.
The focus is on commodities where a test report or certificate is required at the port for compliance or quality verification.
| Stakeholder Group Integrated in Pilot | Example Product/Commodity Category | Type of Test/Compliance Required |
|---|---|---|
| Tea Board Labs | Tea (Black, Green, Speciality) | Quality parameters (e.g., moisture content, chemical residues, organoleptic analysis) for export/import. |
| Coffee Board Labs | Coffee (Green, Roasted, Instant) | Quality grading, moisture, purity, and certification for origin/export standards. |
| Rubber Board Labs | Natural Rubber (Sheets, Blocks, Latex) | Technical specification compliance (e.g., purity, dirt content, viscosity) required for import/export clearances. |
| General (Future) | Food Products (FSSAI) / Pharma Products (Drug Controller) | Health Certificates, Sanitary/Phytosanitary Certificates, Drug Quality Analysis (These are targeted for subsequent phases post-pilot). |
Note: During this pilot phase, Exporters/Importers may continue to use the existing processes in parallel to ensure a smooth transition and allow for system refinement based on user feedback.