In a display of exquisite pointlessness, the government granted and then rescinded an import duty exemption on polo horses in just under 24 hours. The notification on the file galloped in and out of policy relevance before the ink was even dry on the instructions.
On Friday, July 18, 2025, the Revenue Department of the Finance Ministry tossed a lifeline to India’s polo community. It amended a 1994 notification to add entry “10A”. As per the amendment, horses for polo may be imported without customs duty under specific eligibility criteria.
These include imports made by polo teams of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Central Armed Police Forces. Exemption was also granted to civilian polo teams that have participated in the Indian National Championship (14 goals) or similar recognised tournaments under the Indian Polo Association (IPA). At the same time individual players (male or female) who have been active members of the IPA for at least the past five years with a minimum handicap of -1 or ranked within the top four teams were also allowed to import without duty.
To date, the import duty is 30 per cent. The July 18 notification allowed duty free import for up to 10 horses every two years for teams and up to six horses for individuals every three years. Additionally, the import must meet licensing conditions set by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). This notification supports and regulates the import of polo horses for national and defense team use under controlled conditions, the notification had said.
But the very next day, on Saturday, July 19, the same Revenue Department issued a second notification “omitting the entry 10A” in the table attached with the original notification dated July 13, 1994. Both notifications—one gifting the exemption, the other snatching it away—offered the same cryptic line: “the Central Government, on being satisfied that it is necessary in the public interest so to do…”
Sources said that the backpedal may have been prompted by fears of public outrage, or worse, giving the Opposition a reason to charge the government of “favouring the elite” in the monsoon session of Parliament which is starting on Monday. Polo, after all, isn’t exactly gully cricket. It conjures images of aristocrats in jodhpurs, champagne brunches and sponsors named after luxury watch brands. In a political climate allergic to the appearance of elite indulgence, the optics of subsidising $100,000 ponies may have triggered a last-minute gallop in the opposite direction.
The data, meanwhile, shows a growing appetite for imported hooves. India brought in 47 horses worth over ₹5 crore in FY 2024-25, up from 22 horses worth ₹2.56 crore the previous year. Most came from horse-breeding powerhouses like Argentina, France and the UK — not exactly your neighbourhood stud farms.
With the exemption now buried, the 30 per cent import duty is back in the saddle, ensuring that each new polo pony will once again carry not just a rider, but a hefty customs bill on its back.
Source: The Hindu businessline
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