India began implementation of the United Nations TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) Convention on 16 August 2018 to transform the country’s trade and transport by activating regional connectivity and advancing global trade prospects.

The TIR Convention provides global access to markets, connecting India to the wider TIR network that includes Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia and Central Asia. TIR will also help in the implementation of motor vehicles agreements that integrate India with Myanmar and Thailand and with Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal. TIR will also help India implement the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement.

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) is India’s lead organization in implementing TIR, in collaboration with the International Road Transport Union and supported by the India’s Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

India ratified the TIR Convention on 19 June 2017. The TIR system enables facilitation of transport for goods crossing international borders and provides a secure mechanism for guaranteeing payment of customs duties. Customs checks are done at the points of departure and destination, instead of at each border-crossing point. The mechanism speeds up the movement of goods and reduces trade transaction costs, thereby facilitating growth of intra-regional and inter-regional trade.

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