Last Updated: October 27, 2026 by Pratham Agarwal, Rasp International
The short answer
RELIEF (Resilience and Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation) is time limited help for exporters hit by the Gulf and West Asia disruption, set up under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) by Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Notification No. 65/2025-26 and run by ECGC Limited (ECGC). On 27 October 2026 only Component II covers new shipments: up to 95 percent ECGC cover on war and political risk losses, for shipments dated up to 31 March 2027 under Notification No. 37/2026-27.
The rule that decides everything: the onboard bill of lading or airway bill date. It picks the component, and for Component II your new ECGC policy must already cover the shipment on that date (Notification No. 65/2025-26 paragraphs 6.2, 7.2 and 8.2; ECGC policy Form No. 101 clause 3).
Verified as on 27 October 2026 against DGFT Notifications No. 65/2025-26 (19 March 2026), 11/2026-27 (17 April 2026), 21/2026-27 (29 June 2026) and 37/2026-27 (30 September 2026), DGFT Policy Circular No. 01/2026-27 (15 April 2026), ECGC Public Notice HO/PPD/2026 (23 March 2026) with Addenda 1 to 4, ECGC’s RELIEF FAQ (7 October 2026) and its claims dashboard (25 October 2026). Written by Pratham Agarwal, Founder, Rasp International.
Rs 497 crore
total RELIEF budget, Notification 65/2025-26 paragraph 9
Rs 50 lakh
Component III ceiling per Importer Exporter Code (IEC), paragraph 8.3
95%
top share of a war or political risk loss under Component II, paragraph 7.2
31 Mar 2027
last Component II bill of lading date, Notification 37/2026-27
| Scheme | Resilience and Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation (RELIEF), three components |
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| Part of | Export Promotion Mission (EPM), from its existing budget (paragraph 9) |
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| Run by | ECGC as nodal and implementing agency (paragraph 5) |
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| Legal basis | DGFT Notification No. 65/2025-26, amended by Notifications No. 11/2026-27, 21/2026-27 and 37/2026-27; Policy Circular No. 01/2026-27 |
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| Who it is for | Exporters of container or reefer cargo to the Gulf and West Asia; Component III for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) only |
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| What you get | Up to 100 percent (Component I) or 95 percent (Component II) of a loss; up to 50 percent of extra freight and insurance (Component III) |
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| Cap | Rs 50 lakh per exporter under Component III; Rs 497 crore in all |
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| Validity or window | Components I and III: 14 February to 15 March 2026, closed. Component II: 16 March 2026 to 31 March 2027, open |
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| Where you apply | ECGC customer portal, www.ecgcltd.in (ECGC RELIEF FAQ 13) |
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Why this page exists
A Press Information Bureau release of 26 October 2026 is headed as an extension of RELIEF. Only Component II, the ECGC cover, is extended (Notification No. 37/2026-27); the surcharge refund was not extended. As of 25 October 2026, ECGC’s claims dashboard shows 1,745 claims lodged under Component III against 23 under Component II, with none of those 23 paid.
Rasp International is an ISO 9001:2015 certified export and import (EXIM) and DGFT advisory firm founded in 2019 that has served 500 plus exporters. Each rule below carries its paragraph.
What RELIEF is
RELIEF is a time limited support intervention that pays part of the war risk, political risk and surcharge losses on Gulf and West Asia shipments for Indian exporters, run by ECGC under the Export Promotion Mission. Nothing is filed on the DGFT portal. ECGC Limited, formerly Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India Limited, takes every claim on its customer portal, its Public Notice HO/PPD/2026 states.
Paragraphs 6.2, 7.2 and 8.2 name the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Israel, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, Iran and Yemen. Notification No. 11/2026-27 dated 17 April 2026 added Egypt and Jordan, and ECGC Addendum 2 dated 22 April 2026 applies them to all three components, for delivery or transshipment.
Which parts are open on 27 October 2026
| Component | Bill of lading window | Status | ECGC claims dashboard, as of 25 October 2026 |
|---|
| I, insured exporters | 14 February to 15 March 2026 (paragraph 6.2) | Closed, not extended | 290 lodged, 181 disposed, 112 paid, Rs 1.06 crore paid |
| II, new ECGC cover | 16 March 2026 to 31 March 2027 (Notification No. 37/2026-27) | Open | 23 lodged, 1 disposed, none paid |
| III, uninsured MSMEs | 14 February to 15 March 2026 (paragraph 8.2) | Closed, not extended | 1,745 lodged, 1,089 disposed, 765 paid, Rs 23.94 crore paid |
Notifications No. 21/2026-27 and 37/2026-27 amend only paragraph 7.2 (Component II).
What you get
Component II can pay up to 95 percent of a war or political risk loss under a new ECGC policy taken from 16 March 2026.| Component | What ECGC may pay | Ceiling and budget |
|---|
| I | Up to 100 percent of a war or political risk loss for insured exporters, premium held at the pre-disruption level (paragraphs 6.1 and 6.2) | None per exporter; Rs 56 crore (paragraph 6.4) |
| II | Up to 95 percent of such a loss under a new standalone or first whole turnover policy from 16 March 2026, same premium rule (paragraphs 7.1 and 7.2; Policy Circular No. 01/2026-27; ECGC Addendum 2) | None per exporter; Rs 159 crore (paragraph 7.4) |
| III | For uninsured MSMEs: on Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) contracts, up to 50 percent of the extra freight and insurance borne; on Free on Board (FOB) contracts, up to 50 percent of the cut in proceeds caused solely by the surcharge (paragraph 8.2) | Rs 50 lakh per exporter, never above the actual loss (paragraph 8.3); Rs 282 crore (paragraph 8.4) |
ECGC Addendum 4 dated 7 October 2026 lifts standard cover below 95 percent to up to 95 percent, and the government repays ECGC the extra (paragraph 7.2). ECGC’s RELIEF FAQ 9 confirms no extra premium is charged. The EPM Steering Committee may recommend extending, changing or withdrawing a component and moving funds between them (paragraph 10).
Illustrative example. ECGC’s Shipments Comprehensive Risks (SCR) Policy lists 90 percent cover, so an accepted Rs 10 lakh war related loss pays Rs 9 lakh. With Component II, ECGC may pay up to Rs 9.5 lakh. Whether to insure is covered in our RELIEF extension post.
What RELIEF does for a stuck, diverted or unpaid shipment
| Your situation | What RELIEF does | Source |
|---|
| War or political risk loss; sailing from 16 March 2026; new ECGC policy | Component II, up to 95 percent | Paragraph 7.2 |
| War or political risk loss; sailing 14 February to 15 March 2026; insured then | Component I, up to 100 percent | Paragraph 6.2 |
| Diversion surcharges on a sailing 14 February to 15 March 2026; uninsured MSME | Component III, up to 50 percent | Paragraphs 8.1 and 8.2 |
| Cargo returned to India | Outside RELIEF; normal ECGC cover may pay return costs | Paragraph 7.3; ECGC RELIEF FAQ 14 |
Who can apply and who cannot
Who can apply
- Component I: exporters already insured with ECGC, sailings 14 February to 15 March 2026 (paragraph 6).
- Component II: exporters of any size with a new standalone or first whole turnover policy from 16 March 2026 (Policy Circular No. 01/2026-27; ECGC RELIEF FAQ 4 and 6).
- Component III: uninsured MSMEs with customs cleared container cargo sailing 14 February to 15 March 2026 (paragraph 8.2).
Who cannot apply
- Energy shipments, under Component II (paragraph 7.2).
- Air shipments, under Component III (ECGC Addendum 1).
- Back-to-town and re-import cases, under any component (ECGC RELIEF FAQ 7).
- Non-MSMEs, under Component III (ECGC RELIEF FAQ 6).
Documents that get it through
ECGC takes one RELIEF claim per shipping bill, and the bill of lading date decides which component can apply.ECGC Public Notice HO/PPD/2026 paragraph 6 lists most of these; Components I and II add your ECGC claim form papers.
| Document | What ECGC checks | The mismatch that brings a query or rejection |
|---|
| Onboard bill of lading or airway bill | Date inside the window and a listed country (paragraphs 6.2, 7.2 and 8.2) | A date one day outside the window |
| ECGC policy schedule | Start date: a policy covers shipments made in its period (Form No. 101 clause 3) | A policy that started after the sailing |
| Contract with amendments | Whether the CIF or FOB formula applies (paragraph 8.2) | Contract terms that differ from the invoice |
| Freight and insurance invoices | The war risk premium or conflict surcharge shown clearly (Public Notice paragraph 6(vii)) | A lump sum freight bill |
| Buyer letters on a deduction | For FOB, a cut caused solely by the surcharge (paragraph 8.2) | A deduction mixed with quality or delay claims |
| Bank realisation certificate (BRC or e-BRC) | Proceeds actually received (ECGC RELIEF FAQ 15) | A claim filed before the money is realised |
| Shipping bill | One claim per shipping bill (Public Notice paragraph 6 note) | Several shipping bills bundled into one claim |
How to apply, stage by stage
Before you apply
1
Match the shipment to a component
Note the onboard date, country, cargo type, MSME status and any ECGC cover that day.
2
Take ECGC cover before new sailings
Ask your ECGC branch which policy fits. The SCR sheet asks for a buyer credit limit and premium paid before the risk starts; run our checks on a new overseas buyer first.
Filing
3
Policyholders: the RELIEF-I and II link
Report the unpaid bill as your policy requires, then file at www.ecgcltd.in with your existing login (Public Notice paragraph 5; ECGC RELIEF FAQ 13).
4
Uninsured MSMEs: register, then the RELIEF-III link
Sign up at www.ecgcltd.in with your IEC, Permanent Account Number (PAN), Udyam number and bank details to get an Exporter Customer Code (Public Notice paragraph 5).
After filing
5
ECGC verifies claims in order of receipt
Claims are processed in order of receipt, subject to eligibility, verification and funds (paragraph 11). Queries go to RELIEF2026@ecgc.in.
The lapse rule. A Component II bill of lading dated after 31 March 2027 gets only normal cover, unless Notification No. 37/2026-27 is extended. No RELIEF claim deadline is printed, so work to your policy’s limits: ECGC’s SCR and Small Exporters Policy (SEP) sheets set a claim within 360 days of the bill’s due date or 540 days of policy expiry, whichever is earlier. There is no priority route.
A Gulf buyer has not paid, or a RELIEF claim is stuck
Send us the bill of lading, your ECGC policy schedule if you hold one and the buyer’s letters. When you engage us, we prepare and file the claim with ECGC in your unit’s own name.
Where claims go wrong
| Failure | What you see | What actually broke |
|---|
| Policy taken after the sailing | No RELIEF top up and no normal cover | Form No. 101 clause 3 covers shipments made during the policy period only |
| Component III claim on an air shipment | Claim not admitted | ECGC Addendum 1 excludes air shipments from Component III |
| GST left inside the amount | Amount cut | ECGC RELIEF FAQ 18 refunds no Goods and Services Tax (GST) on freight or insurance, as input tax credit exists |
| FOB cut with mixed reasons | Claim cut or queried | Paragraph 8.2 pays only a cut “solely attributable” to the surcharge |
| Overdue bill reported late | The whole claim at risk | The SCR and SEP sheets ask for bills 30 or 60 days overdue to be declared by the 15th of the next month; for SCR, Form No. 101 clause 19(b) ends cover on a bill not declared |
How it fits with other schemes
Notification No. 65/2025-26 has no rule on combining schemes; any bar sits in the other scheme’s text.
| Scheme | What it pays for | How it sits with RELIEF |
|---|
| Your normal ECGC credit insurance | Buyer default and political risks | Components I and II add to it (paragraphs 6.2 and 7.2); ECGC Addendum 1 says the extra amount does not affect your claim to premium ratio |
| Uttar Pradesh (UP) ECGC premium reimbursement | Up to 30 percent of premium, up to Rs 5 lakh a year, Government Order 830/18-4-2025 dated 6 November 2025 | Its paragraph 7 bars a similar benefit for the same purpose; no official source says whether RELIEF counts. Check with the Export Promotion Bureau UP |
| Support for Emerging Export Opportunities | Helps a bank confirm a letter of credit for buyers in 72 countries, Trade Notice No. 32/2025-26 | Protects the bank, not you; its Annexure V declaration bars support for the same activity elsewhere |
| Facilitating Logistics Interventions for Freight and Transport (LIFT) | 30 percent of inland freight from listed districts, up to Rs 20 lakh per IEC a year, Trade Notice No. 29/2025-26 | A different cost: freight inside India |
| Marine cargo insurance | Physical loss or damage | Separate (ECGC RELIEF FAQ 8) |
What RELIEF will not do
1
It will not refund surcharges on new sailings
That was Component III, for bills of lading dated 14 February to 15 March 2026 (paragraph 8.2).
2
It will not insure the goods or a returned cargo
Damage is for marine insurance (ECGC RELIEF FAQ 8), and back-to-town cases stay on normal ECGC cover (paragraphs 6.3 and 7.3).
3
It will not pay beyond the budget or take claims out of turn
Payment is on actuals within the budget (paragraph 9), and claims are processed in order of receipt (paragraph 11).
How Rasp International handles RELIEF
When a client engages us, we prepare and file the RELIEF claim with ECGC end to end, always in the client unit’s own name. Clients who prefer to file themselves can do so with our guidance.
We sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and a service level agreement (SLA) with every client. The client and we both hold the portal logins, kept safe and confidential, and documents sit in encrypted storage. We give an authority letter only when a client asks. Read how we work as an export consultant.
Not sure your Gulf shipment fits RELIEF
Tell us the destination, bill of lading date, sale terms and whether you hold ECGC cover. We tell you which component applies, or that none does.
What Is Not Yet Notified, Checked on 27 October 2026
- Any extension of Component II beyond 31 March 2027, or reopening of Components I and III. Check with the EPM Section of DGFT or your ECGC branch.
- A last date to file Component I and III claims. None is printed. Check with your ECGC branch or at RELIEF2026@ecgc.in.
- Whether a renewed whole turnover policy counts for Component II, since Policy Circular No. 01/2026-27 says “for the first time”. Check with your ECGC branch.
- How the container cargo line in paragraphs 6.2 and 7.2 applies to air cargo. Check with your ECGC branch.
- What “energy shipments” and “standalone policies” mean. Check with your ECGC branch.
- Countries beyond the twelve. Check with your ECGC branch.
- Whether the UP premium reimbursement can sit with RELIEF cover. Check with the Export Promotion Bureau UP.
Frequently asked questions
What is the RELIEF scheme for exporters?
RELIEF, the Resilience and Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation, is time limited support under the Export Promotion Mission for exports to the Gulf and West Asia. DGFT Notification No. 65/2025-26 created three components, all run by ECGC: higher cover for insured exporters and a surcharge refund for uninsured MSMEs.
Which countries are covered under RELIEF?
Notification No. 65/2025-26 names the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Israel, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, Iran and Yemen. Notification No. 11/2026-27 dated 17 April 2026 added Egypt and Jordan. Delivery and transshipment both count. For any other country, check with your ECGC branch before you ship.
Can I still claim the freight surcharge refund under RELIEF Component III?
Only for old sailings. Component III covers uninsured MSMEs whose onboard bill of lading is dated 14 February to 15 March 2026, under paragraph 8.2 of Notification No. 65/2025-26, and Notification No. 37/2026-27 did not extend it. On whether ECGC still accepts new claims, check with your ECGC branch.
What is the Rs 50 lakh limit under RELIEF?
It is the most one exporter can receive under Component III, the surcharge refund, across all its eligible consignments, under paragraph 8.3 of Notification No. 65/2025-26. ECGC applies it per Importer Exporter Code, and the refund cannot exceed the actual loss. Components I and II print no such ceiling.
How do I file a RELIEF claim without an ECGC policy?
Sign up on the ECGC customer portal at www.ecgcltd.in with your IEC, PAN, Udyam number and bank details to get an Exporter Customer Code, under ECGC Public Notice HO/PPD/2026. Then file one claim per shipping bill through the RELIEF-III link. This route serves Component III only.
Does RELIEF cover a shipment that came back to India?
No. Back-to-town and re-import cases are outside all three components under paragraphs 6.3, 7.3 and 8.2 of Notification No. 65/2025-26. ECGC’s RELIEF FAQ 14 says an ECGC policy may still pay return freight, handling, storage and demurrage at its normal percentage.
Are air shipments covered under RELIEF?
It depends on the component. Paragraphs 6.2 and 7.2 of Notification No. 65/2025-26 and ECGC’s RELIEF FAQ 3 and 4 count the airway bill date for Components I and II. ECGC Addendum 1 excludes air shipments from Component III. Both paragraphs also list container cargo, so check a specific air shipment with your ECGC branch.
Is GST on freight reimbursed under RELIEF?
Usually not. ECGC’s RELIEF FAQ 18 says GST on transport, logistics or insurance is not reimbursed, because exporters can claim input tax credit. Where the exporter refunds the buyer the full value with taxes, or the buyer deducts an amount including taxes, ECGC may consider the whole loss.
What happens if ECGC rejects my RELIEF claim?
Notification No. 65/2025-26 and ECGC’s public notice print no appeal route for RELIEF. ECGC verifies and decides each claim, in order of receipt within the budget under paragraph 11. Ask ECGC for the reason in writing and check with your ECGC branch how to seek a review.
Can a UP exporter get the ECGC premium subsidy and RELIEF together?
No official source settles it. Government Order 830/18-4-2025 dated 6 November 2025 refunds up to 30 percent of ECGC premium, up to Rs 5 lakh a year, and its paragraph 7 bars a similar benefit for the same purpose. Notification No. 65/2025-26 is silent. Check with the Export Promotion Bureau UP before you claim both.
Do I need a consultant to file a RELIEF claim?
No. Any exporter can file on the ECGC customer portal, and ECGC’s RELIEF FAQ 10 says no processing charge is payable. ECGC posts video guides on its YouTube channel @ecgcltd7016 and takes questions at RELIEF2026@ecgc.in. A consultant helps match dates, papers and sale terms.
Sources
- Tier 1. DGFT Notification No. 65/2025-26 dated 19 March 2026: content.dgft.gov.in.
- Tier 1. DGFT Notification No. 11/2026-27 dated 17 April 2026: content.dgft.gov.in; No. 21/2026-27 dated 29 June 2026, superseded: content.dgft.gov.in.
- Tier 1. DGFT Notification No. 37/2026-27 dated 30 September 2026: content.dgft.gov.in; notifications list checked 27 October 2026: dgft.gov.in.
- Tier 1. DGFT Policy Circular No. 01/2026-27 dated 15 April 2026: content.dgft.gov.in.
- Tier 1. Press Information Bureau (PIB) release dated 26 October 2026, Release ID 2328402: pib.gov.in.
- Tier 1. DGFT Trade Notices No. 29/2025-26 dated 20 February 2026 (LIFT) and No. 32/2025-26 dated 6 March 2026 (Emerging Export Opportunities): DGFT trade notices.
- Tier 1. Government Order 830/18-4-2025 dated 6 November 2025, Government of Uttar Pradesh, in Hindi: UPEPC government orders page.
- Tier 2. ECGC Public Notice HO/PPD/2026 dated 23 March 2026 with Addenda 1 to 4 (25 March, 22 April, 7 July and 7 October 2026): ecgc.in.
- Tier 2. ECGC RELIEF FAQ updated 7 October 2026: ecgc.in; claims dashboard as of 25 October 2026: ecgc.in.
- Tier 2. ECGC product sheets: SCR sheet, SEP sheet, Form No. 101; ECGC branch locator.
This is general guidance. Rules change. Check the current notification or trade notice, or speak to us, before you act.
Related: Export Promotion Mission guide | Interest subvention on export credit | Trade finance and ECGC cover | Every EPM trade notice in one place