- India’s CBIC now allows customs duty payments via UPI, debit, and credit cards through the ICEGATE platform.
- A new payment aggregator framework expands internet banking access to 41 banks for real-time duty processing.
- Regulations were amended under Notification No. 30/2026 to support these digital payment methods effectively.
(INDIA) — The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs has allowed importers and exporters to pay customs duty through UPI, debit cards, credit cards and expanded internet banking on the ICEGATE e-Payment platform under a new payment aggregator framework.
CBIC introduced the facility through Circular No. 13/2026 dated March 24, 2026, enabling real-time, transaction-wise payments routed through the Electronic Cash Ledger, or ECL. The move adds new digital payment methods to customs duty collection on ICEGATE, India’s digital gateway for customs.
The change also expands internet banking access to 41 banks through the ICEGATE Payment Aggregator. Existing channels remain in place, including direct internet banking from 23 authorized banks and NEFT/RTGS via RBI.
The regulatory backing came through amendments to the Customs (Electronic Cash Ledger) Regulations, 2022, under Notification No. 30/2026 dated March 24, 2026. Together, the circular and notification set the legal basis for the new payment methods and the aggregator arrangement.
CBIC has initially onboarded ICICI Bank, Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), State Bank of India (SBI), and HDFC Bank as payment aggregators. More banks will be added after testing.
That widening of payment rails marks the first time customs duty payments on ICEGATE can be made through Unified Payment Interface, or UPI, as well as credit and debit cards. Until now, users depended on a narrower set of banking routes.
For importers and exporters, speed matters. The platform’s real-time, transaction-wise routing through the Electronic Cash Ledger is aimed at helping businesses complete duty payments faster, especially when clearances are time-sensitive.
The broader banking reach also changes how users access the system. Instead of relying on a limited set of banks and channels, businesses can now move through the ICEGATE Payment Aggregator using multiple digital options while retaining the older payment routes.
Ikesh Nagpal, Lead-Indirect Tax at AKM Global, said the change widens access for businesses that regularly deal with customs payments. “With the rollout of a payment aggregator on ICEGATE, duty payments are no longer confined to specific banking channels. Businesses can now use UPI, debit or credit cards, and access a significantly wider banking network bringing a greater degree of ease and convenience.”
Nagpal’s comments point to the central operational shift in the new system: customs duty payment no longer depends only on direct internet banking with a smaller approved bank pool or on NEFT/RTGS processing through RBI. The aggregator adds a layer that opens the system to more payment methods and a larger network.
Manoj Mishra, Partner and Tax Controversy Management Leader at Grant Thornton Bharat, said multiple digital options such as cards, UPI and net banking reduce reliance on limited channels while enhancing flexibility, speed and convenience. His assessment tracks with the design of the new arrangement, which widens both payment choice and banking access.
The change may prove especially useful for businesses handling frequent import and export transactions through ICEGATE. Customs clearance can hinge on prompt duty payment, and CBIC’s new framework is built around faster execution at the transaction level.
Under the new structure, each payment is routed through the Electronic Cash Ledger in real time. That mechanism links payment initiation more directly with the customs duty accounting process on the platform.
The introduction of the ICEGATE Payment Aggregator also aligns with a wider shift in Indian payments toward digital channels that businesses already use in other settings. On customs duty, however, the operational value lies in making those tools available within the official ICEGATE e-Payment process.
UPI stands out because of its reach across Indian banking users. Its addition to customs duty payment gives traders and logistics-linked businesses another route at the point of compliance, rather than forcing them to rely only on direct bank integration or bank transfer modes.
Card payments add another layer of flexibility. Debit cards and credit cards can now be used for customs duty payments on the platform, creating a broader set of options for users who need to complete a transaction quickly.
Expanded internet banking remains part of the change as well. Through the aggregator, access now extends to 41 banks, compared with the earlier direct internet banking option from 23 authorized banks.
That distinction matters because the new system does not replace the existing one. Direct internet banking from the 23 authorized banks remains available, and NEFT/RTGS via RBI also stays in place, while the ICEGATE Payment Aggregator adds another route on top.
For traders, the practical effect is a wider network without removing familiar channels. For customs administration, the adjustment gives users more ways to move funds into the Electronic Cash Ledger for duty payment.
The initial onboarding of ICICI Bank, Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), State Bank of India (SBI), and HDFC Bank is the first phase of that network build-out. CBIC has said more banks will be added after testing, indicating that the aggregator setup is expected to expand further.
That phased approach suggests the authority is starting with a defined set of institutions before broadening participation. Even at launch, though, the new arrangement changes payment access by adding UPI, cards and wider internet banking support.
Businesses using the customs portal will also need to account for transaction costs where they apply. Any applicable bank charges or fees under the system are borne by the payer.
That means the convenience of newer payment choices comes with the possibility of bank-imposed charges depending on the payment method used. CBIC’s framework leaves that responsibility with the user making the customs duty payment.
The combination of legal amendments and platform changes gives the rollout both administrative and operational footing. Circular No. 13/2026 sets out the facility, while Notification No. 30/2026 amends the Customs (Electronic Cash Ledger) Regulations, 2022 to support it.
For users of ICEGATE, the shift is less about changing customs liability than changing how that liability can be paid. The amount due still flows through the customs system, but the menu of payment methods has widened.
Importers and exporters often work against shipping schedules, cargo release timelines and other process deadlines. In that setting, the ability to use UPI or cards, or to draw on a wider internet banking base, can ease a payment step that previously depended on fewer channels.
The ICEGATE Payment Aggregator therefore sits at the intersection of customs compliance and digital payments. It expands the front-end choices available to businesses while keeping the backend routing tied to the Electronic Cash Ledger.
CBIC has also provided operational guidance for users adopting the new system. A user manual for the Payment Aggregator is available on the ICEGATE platform at payment gateway guidelines.
That manual is intended to guide importers and exporters on using the new payment options on ICEGATE. With UPI, cards and expanded net banking now part of customs duty payment, the change gives businesses a broader set of tools to move transactions through India’s customs gateway.
