Here are some of the distinguishing features and facilities of the Indian SEZ :

• no licence required for import
• exemption from customs duty on import of capital goods, raw materials, consumables, spares, etc
• exemption from central excise duty on procurement of capital goods, raw materials, consumable spares etc from the domestic market
• supplies from DTA to SEZ units treated as deemed exports
• reimbursement of central sales tax paid on domestic purchases
• 100% income tax exemption for a block of five years, 50% tax exemptions for a further two years and up to 50% of the profits ploughed back for the next three years under s 10-A of the  Income Tax Act
• 100% income-tax exemption for five years and 50% for five years under sec 80-LA of the  Income Tax Act  for off-shore banking units
• income tax benefit under sc 80 IA to developers for any block of 10 consecutive years in 15 years
• reimbursement of duty paid on furnace oil, procured from domestic oil companies to SEZ units as per the rate of drawback notified by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade. SEZ units may be for manufacturing, trading or service activity
• SEZ unit to be positive net foreign exchange earner within three years
• performance of the units to be monitored by a Committee headed by Development Commissioner and consisting of Customs
• 100% foreign direct investment in manufacturing sector allowed through automatic route barring a few sectors
• facility to retain 100% foreign exchange receipts in EEFC Account
• facility to realise and repatriate export proceeds within 12 months
• re-export imported goods found defective, goods imported from foreign suppliers on loan basis, etc, without GR Waiver under intimation to the Development Commissioner
• exemption from industrial licensing requirement for items reserved for SSI sector
• profits allowed to be repatriated freely without any dividend balancing requirement