The government has extended the operational timelines of a key component of its RELIEF scheme to shield Indian exporters from elevated freight, insurance and war-related risks amid continuing disruptions in the West Asia maritime corridor.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade, through Notification No. 37/2026-27 dated September 30, extended Component II of RELIEF, the Resilience and Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation, up to March 31, 2027. RELIEF is a time-bound intervention under the Export Promotion Mission.

Under Component II, exporters shipping to specified regions can obtain Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India cover with 95 per cent risk coverage for upcoming consignments. The facility applies to Stand Alone Policies as well as Whole Turnover Policies obtained on or after March 16, 2026.

The cover extends to full-container-load, less-than-container-load and reefer-container cargo, excluding energy shipments. Importantly, premiums paid by eligible exporters will not rise beyond the pre-disruption level. The scheme was launched on March 19 after freight costs, insurance premiums and war-related risks surged along the Gulf corridor.