The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has introduced an open application programming interface (API) facility for the issuance and verification of certificates of origin (CoO) through the Trade Connect e-Platform for eligible exporters, according to an official statement issued on Monday.

The open API facility enables exporters to integrate their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), accounting or other business software directly with the DGFT’s CoO system. At present, exporters are required to enter CoO-related details separately on the DGFT platform, even when the same information is already available in their business software.

The new facility enables electronic transfer of application data from the exporter’s system to the DGFT platform, thereby eliminating repetitive data entry, reducing errors and expediting the application process.

The facility supports both Preferential and Non-Preferential Certificates of Origin. Preferential CoOs are issued under Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) and Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs), enabling exporters to claim applicable tariff concessions in the importing country. Non-Preferential CoOs are issued for customs clearance, compliance, trade remedy and other trade purposes without providing tariff benefits.

Under the facility, exporters can obtain API credentials through the API management section of the CoO portal and register the IP addresses from which their systems will connect.

Three APIs have been made available, namely the Authentication Token API for secure login, the CoO File API for submission of applications and receipt of certificates, and the Certificate Verification API for verification of issued certificates.

A transaction ledger is maintained for each application, providing details of the status of the application, including Draft, In Process, Approved, Certificate Issued and Rejected. The ledger also captures the acknowledgement ID, file number, file date and certificate number, enabling exporters to track their applications electronically.

The open API facility incorporates multiple security safeguards to ensure secure and reliable exchange of information. All requests and responses are digitally signed to ensure data integrity, authentication of the sender and non-repudiation.

"Passwords are protected using PBKDF2 hashing with a dynamic salt, while access is restricted to IP addresses whitelisted by the exporter. Each access token remains valid for 60 minutes," said the statement.

The framework covers major trade agreements and certification schemes, including India–Japan CEPA, India–Korea CEPA, SAFTA, SAPTA, ASEAN–India FTA, India–Singapore CECA, India–Malaysia CECA, India–Chile PTA, India–Mercosur PTA, India–UAE CEPA, India–Australia ECTA, India–Oman CEPA, India–EFTA TEPA, India–UK CETA, the Generalized System of Preferences and the Non-Preferential CoO Scheme.