SAPTA stands for the SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement. It is a crucial document required to claim benefits under Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) in the importing country. The SAPTA Certificate must be presented at the landing port along with commercial invoices. Exporters need to provide a Certificate of Origin (CoO), issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), to confirm that the goods are produced in countries under the trading agreement.
SAPTA aims to enhance economic cooperation among member countries by exchanging trade benefits and concessions. The agreement, signed in Dhaka in 1993, involves seven SAARC countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka. SAPTA Registration is the initial step towards fostering mutual trade and economic cooperation within the SAARC region.
The Process for ISCECA Registration:
- Account Creation: Set up an account using the organization-based Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) embedded with the Import Export Code (IEC). All data will be retrieved through the IEC.
- Apply Online: Submit an online application for the Certificate of Origin.
- Form Completion: Fill out the form with the required details.
- Document Upload: Upload the necessary supporting documents.
- Issuance of Certificate: The ISCECA Certificate will be issued within 2-3 working days.
India’s market access commitments have been enhanced under various Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs), providing opportunities for companies to expand internationally. Certificates of Origin can be generated from India under the following agreements:
Other Free Trade Agreement
- ICPTA – India-Chile Preferential Trade Agreement
- SAFTA – South Asia Free Trade Agreement
- SAPTA – SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement
- IKCEPA – India-Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
- IJCEPA – India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
- AIFTA – ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement
- ISFTA – India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement
- APTA – Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement
- GSP – Generalized System of Preferences
- GSTP – Global System of Trade Preferences
- IMCECA – India-Malaysia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement
- ISCECA – India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement