Indian authorities have credited new technology with significantly improving its customs clearance services.

Last November, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) launched ICEDASH and ATITHI with the aim of making the monitoring of goods and the speed of clearance easier and more efficient, the Indian Sunday Guardian reports.

Now, it is reaping the rewards, with both initiatives said to be showing results. Indeed, in cities like Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi, the IT facilities are reportedly transforming the entire import operation.

Businesses are enjoying real-time tracking of their shipments and reduced physical work, while ICEDASH in particular is said to have cut customs clearance time from seven days to two or three.

Superintendent of customs and excise Suman Kumar said: "It has enabled e-paperwork, as [everything] from filing paper for clearance to making payments, from release to paper submission, all have become online."

Nations across the world have been making attempts to streamline their customs processes lately, with Ethiopia and China among the most recent to have announced new systems or improvements.