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October 01, 2025 India Rolls Out Key Policy Changes and Scheme Extensions on October 1, 2025

India has ushered in October 2025 with several significant policy changes and scheme extensions impacting various sectors. These include the extension of export incentives under the RoDTEP scheme, the introduction of a digital e-Arrival Card for foreign travelers, and the maintenance of stable interest rates for small savings schemes. Furthermore, a host of regulatory updates concerning banking, pensions, online gaming, and digital transactions have come into effect, alongside continued focus on skill development for farmers.

As India steps into October 2025, the government has implemented and extended several crucial schemes and policies aimed at streamlining processes, boosting economic sectors, and enhancing citizen services.

Extension of RoDTEP Scheme to Boost Exports

The Indian government has extended the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme for an additional six months, now valid until March 31, 2026. This extension, notified by the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), aims to provide continued relief and certainty for exporters. The scheme, launched in January 2021, reimburses exporters for various embedded duties, taxes, and charges not otherwise refunded, thereby enhancing their global competitiveness. The revised rates under the scheme will range from 0.3% to 3.9% and cover eligible exports from domestic tariff area units, Advance Authorisation (AA) holders, Export Oriented Units (EOUs), and Special Economic Zone (SEZ) entities. Total disbursements under RoDTEP have already exceeded Rs. 57,976.78 crore as of March 31, 2025.

Digital e-Arrival Card for Foreign Travelers

Effective October 1, 2025, India has replaced its traditional paper-based disembarkation forms with a mandatory digital e-Arrival Card for all foreign travelers. This modernization effort by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) aims to reduce congestion at immigration counters and expedite processing times for international arrivals. Travelers will now be required to submit their information online within five days prior to their arrival in India, providing details such as full name, nationality, passport number, date of arrival, purpose of visit, and address in India.

Small Savings Scheme Interest Rates Remain Unchanged

The Finance Ministry has announced that interest rates for various small savings schemes, including the Public Provident Fund (PPF), National Savings Certificates (NSC), Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS), and Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY), will remain unchanged for the October-December 2025 quarter. This marks the sixth consecutive quarter of stable rates for most schemes. For instance, PPF will continue to offer 7.1%, NSC 7.7%, SCSS 8.2%, and Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana 8.2%. This decision aims to protect savers' earnings, particularly given that banks have already reduced Fixed Deposit (FD) rates.

Major Regulatory Updates Across Sectors

Several other significant regulatory changes have come into effect from October 1, 2025, impacting banking, pensions, online gaming, and digital services:

  • National Pension System (NPS) Overhaul: Non-government subscribers now have increased flexibility, being able to invest up to 100% in equity and diversify across multiple schemes using a single PAN.

  • RBI Cheque Clearing Reform: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is transitioning to a continuous cheque clearing system, replacing the batch-processing method, to ensure faster settlements and quicker access to funds. This will be rolled out in phases starting October 4, 2025.

  • Online Gaming Regulation: The new Promotion & Regulation of Online Gaming Act has banned real-money betting and gambling applications, permitting only e-sports and skill-based games to safeguard youth from addiction.

  • UPI Transactions: The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has discontinued the P2P "collect request" (pull transaction) feature to enhance the security of UPI transactions and mitigate fraud risks.

  • Bank Locker Agreements: Customers are now mandated to renew or update their bank locker agreements in accordance with new RBI guidelines.

  • Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) vs. NPS: Despite incentives, only about 1 lakh out of 23 lakh government employees have switched to the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) by the September 30 deadline, leading to discussions about a possible extension.

  • Interest Rate on Loans: The RBI has allowed banks to determine interest rates on floating-rate loans and has given borrowers the option to switch from fixed to floating interest rates, ensuring quicker reflection of rate changes.

  • Loans Against Gold/Silver: Rules have been modified to permit scheduled commercial banks to provide working capital loans to jewellers, and Tier 3 and Tier 4 Urban Co-operative Banks can now offer loans to businesses utilizing gold in their manufacturing or processing.

Emphasis on Skill Development for Farmers

The government continues to prioritize skill development for farmers, integrating agriculture into flagship skilling frameworks such as the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY 4.0). Initiatives like Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) and Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) are building robust training platforms to equip farmers with modern knowledge and technologies. As of July 24, 2025, over 25.17 crore soil health cards have been distributed, accompanied by numerous farmer trainings and demonstrations.

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