The CBIC issued Instruction No. 25/2021-Customs dated November 24, 2021 stating that license and clearance certificate mandatory for the import of teas from Nepal as “Darjeeling Tea”. It is clarified that as per the Food Safety Standards (FSS) (Import) Regulations, 2017, clearance is required for import of food items into India. Further, the present trade treaty between India and Nepal allows mandatory sanitary and phytosanitary certificates, before products are allowed into each other’s country. As per the provisions of the Tea (Distribution & Export) Control Order, 2005, any importer importing tea from Nepal needs to have a license, as mandated under this order, and. should also have a clearance certificate issued by the Tea Council.