New Delhi, Sept 30 (KNN) The inclusion of delivery and surveillance drones with zoom capabilities greater than 10x in the Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment, and Technologies (SCOMET) list will put burden on the Industry, said National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM).

“As per industry inputs, 10x zoom is a capability that is now available even in consumer-grade toy drones. Deliver drones are also widely being used commercially now. We believe that this does not align with the objectives of the SCOMET list," NASSCOM said.

It further said that by adding these to the SCOMET list will add to the compliance burden of the drone industry, which comprises majorly of start-ups. Adding impediments to the export of drones from India will not be in line with the vision of making India a global hub for drones.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) recently introduced draft amendments to Category 5B of the Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment, and Technologies (SCOMET) list. Only authorised exports of SCOMET, such as drones, are permitted.

Secondly, the draft proposes a General Authorisation for Drone Export (GAED) policy. Drones that do not feature on the SCOMET list and have a range of at least 5 km and a payload of no more than 5 kg must apply to GAED for general export licensing.

"We believe that it is not the intention of the DGFT to mandate the industry to apply for a general authorisation, even in situations where the item to be exported is not covered under the SCOMET list," it said.

"Including these under the SCOMET list thereby adding to the industry’s compliance requirement will place Indian start-ups at a disadvantage as compared to their global peers," the industry body added.

The body has also requested to the government to ensure prompt processing of applications submitted in accordance with the proposed GAED policy, as per report by Moneycontrol.

According to the drone policy, the Inter-Ministerial Working Group (IMWG) is responsible for reviewing the applications.

The amendment to drone export policy has been a long-awaited demand for the industry, which has been upset by the lengthy authorisation process, a lack of clarity in the regulations, and other issues.  (KNN Bureau)