Kottayam: The Rubber Board hosted Samvaad, an outreach programme organised by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) at the National Institute for Rubber Training (NIRT) at Puthupally near Kottayam on 28 July 2025.
S K Rahman IRS, Chief Commissioner of CGST & Customs, Thiruvananthapuram Zone addressed the session. Senior officials from CBIC, including Dr. T Tiju IRS, Dr. K Kalimuthu IRS, and Gurkaran Singh Bains IRS, also attended the programme.
Samvaad is a CBIC initiative aimed at spreading financial and tax literacy among stakeholders, with a focus on addressing sector-specific concerns, sharing the latest updates, and facilitating informed discussions to support economic growth. The programme also helps to engage with the local business community and address issues related to GST and Customs in the rubber industry.
Natural rubber, classified under HS Code 4001, currently attracts a GST rate of five per cent. However, the products, chemicals and inputs used in the manufacturing of rubber-based final products fall under varied tax structures. This often leads to complexities and concerns among industry stakeholders. The import and export dynamics further underscore the sector’s importance. In 2024–25, India imported natural rubber worth 1069.04 million USD and exported rubber products worth 4563.31 million USD. These figures highlight the critical role of the rubber sector in India’s trade and economic landscape. In this context, the Samvaad initiative is expected to serve as an important platform for dialogue and resolution of GST and Customs-related challenges specific to the rubber industry.