The Insecticides (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026, notified on 8 July 2026, created a dedicated procedure for importing scheduled insecticides for non-insecticidal use. Applicants file Form IA a complete application should be decided within 45 days (extendable by 15); and permits are valid for one year, or three years for registrants importing raw material for their registered pesticide.
What was notified, and when?
The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare notified the Insecticides (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026 through G.S.R. 597(E) dated 8 July 2026. The Registration Committee accepted the related terms and conditions at its 474th meeting on 30 July 2026, and the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage issued a public notice on 6 August 2026 directing applicants to the new procedure.
What does the new procedure contain?
A clause in Rule 4 now allows the grant of import permits for non-insecticidal use, and a new Chapter III-A, “Manner of Import of an Insecticide for Non-Insecticidal Purpose,” sets out how. The key elements:
| Provision | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Application | Form IA, to the Registration Committee |
| Government fee | ₹5,000 |
| Decision | Preferably within 45 days of a complete application, extendable by up to 15 days |
| Validity | 1 year; 3 years where the applicant holds registration for the pesticide the material is a raw material for |
| Inquiry | The Registration Committee may inquire into the information provided |
| Higher quantities | Justification from the nodal Ministry, Department or State Department of Industry where the request exceeds the three-year average by more than 30% |
| Exemption | Unit packs of 5 g or less of certified reference material or reference standards |
What does Form IA ask for?
- Applicant name and address, and premises where the material will be stored or used
- The insecticide, its minimum purity and the source of import
- The product being manufactured, the function of the insecticide in the process and the percentage required
- Licensed and installed production capacity and the proposed annual import quantity
- Valid industrial licence or other specified evidence of the facility
- Pollution Control Board clearance or consent
- Year-wise import and consumption over the previous three financial years, with corresponding final-product output
- A self-certified affidavit supporting the quantity, and a certification that the material is not for sale
- For domestic consumption, a declaration certified by the jurisdictional Industrial Health & Safety office on separate storage
- For export, foreign buyer details and an advance licence where applicable
What should importers do now?
- Reconcile your numbers. Capacity, production, function percentage and three-year consumption must agree. This is the heart of Form IA.
- Examine the 30% threshold. Where the requirement substantially exceeds the three-year average, departmental justification should be initiated at an early stage.
- Arrange the storage declaration. For domestic use, the Industrial Health & Safety certification is a new step that takes time.
- Diary the expiry. With one-year validity, renewal becomes an annual cycle. Start at least two months ahead.
- Registrants should examine eligibility for three-year validity. Where the imported material is used to manufacture a pesticide for which the applicant holds registration, the longer validity should be claimed.
Applications already received on the CROP portal are being scrutinised under the new guidelines, and incomplete applications may be rejected without prior notice.
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Sources and official references
- Insecticides (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026, notified by G.S.R. 597(E) dated 8 July 2026, with the CIB&RC public notice dated 6 August 2026 (Gazette of India)
- Global Agriculture: India issues guidelines for import of insecticides for non-insecticidal and dual-use purposes (13 August 2026)
- Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee, Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage