Centre lifts ban on export of alcohol-based sanitisers with dispenser pumps with 'immediate effect'

New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has said that the export of alcohol-based hand sanitisers in containers with dispenser pumps or in any form of packaging will be free, with immediate effect.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) which functions under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in a notification issued on Thursday, said that "The export of alcohol-based hand sanitisers in container with dispenser pumps is free for export making the export of alcohol-based hand sanitisers in any form/packaging freely exportable, with immediate effect.”

Earlier in March this year, the Central government had banned the export of all types of sanitisers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The restriction was limited to only alcohol-based sanitisers later in the month of May. In June, the government further relaxed the export restrictions and limited the ban on alcohol-based hand sanitisers to only those in containers with dispenser pumps.