RCMC Registration in India

RCMC is not mandatory for every exporter, but it's required specifically to avail benefits under the Foreign Trade Policy — such as duty exemptions and export incentive schemes — so most exporters seeking to access these benefits obtain RCMC from the relevant council.

The applicable council depends on your primary export product or service category — most commodity-specific councils cover a defined product range, while FIEO (Federation of Indian Export Organisations) serves as the default council for products or services not covered by a specific commodity board.

Generally, an exporter registers with the council most relevant to their primary export product, though in some cases, exporters dealing in multiple distinct product categories may need RCMC from more than one council depending on the specific scheme benefits they're pursuing.

RCMC validity period varies by council, and is generally aligned with the Foreign Trade Policy period in effect — renewal is required to continue availing scheme benefits once the certificate's validity lapses.

RCMC enables access to Foreign Trade Policy benefits including duty drawback and other export incentive schemes, participation in government-organized trade fairs and delegations, and market access support provided by the relevant Export Promotion Council. ---