India restricts the import and export of certain hydrofluorocarbons

As part of its drive to use safer alternatives, India has imposed restrictions on certain hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and ozone-depleting substances (ODSs), requiring importers and exporters to obtain government permission before trading.

The new rules, which were introduced as amendments to India's existing HFC export and import policies, went into effect on March 9 for importers and March 23 for exporters via Directorate General for Foreign Trade (DGFT) notifications. Before entering into agreements with overseas buyers or suppliers, domestic HFC and ODS manufacturers, exporters, and importers must obtain "no objection certificates" (NOCs) from the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC). In August of last year, India ratified the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, committing to an 85 percent reduction in HFC production and consumption by 2047. According to a MoEFCC spokesperson, the international trade restrictions are intended to "align domestic HFC user industries with the government's goal of reducing use of the substances and a gradual shift to the use of alternatives."