- Short answer
- Rupees or foreign currency for goods exports (ACU countries differ); outside e-invoicing, the GST rules we read set no currency, only Rule 34's rate
- GST rules
- Outside e-invoicing, no GST text listed in the first section (read October 3, 2026) sets an export invoice's currency.
- ACU contracts
- Contracts involving ACU members other than Nepal and Bhutan use a currency determined by the ACU, or RBI directions.
- Exchange rate for goods
- The rate notified under section 14 of the Customs Act, for the date of the time of supply.
- Shopify
- Shopify doesn't create a GST-compliant bill; your local service or app issues the invoice.
Do the GST rules fix the currency of an export invoice?
None of the GST texts we read on October 3, 2026 — CGST Rules 27, 34, 46, 47, 48 and 59, sections 15 and 31 of the CGST Act, two GSTR-1 guides on the GST portal and Circular 125/44/2019-GST — sets a currency for an export invoice. The exception is e-invoicing: Rule 48(4) points to FORM GST INV-01, whose 2020 schema allows one additional currency "along with INR".
Rule 46 of the CGST Rules asks for the "total value of supply" and, on an export, the recipient, delivery address and country of destination.
Rule 46 does require an export endorsement; see what else your export invoice must say.
Can an export invoice be in rupees or the buyer's currency?
Either, unless an ACU member is involved. The rule sits in India's Foreign Trade Policy: DGFT Notification No. 30/2026-27 amended its paragraph 2.52 on August 20, 2026:
(a) All export contracts and invoices, other than those involving member countries of the Asian Clearing Union (ACU), shall be denominated either in foreign currency or Indian Rupees.
RBI's Master Direction adds that FEMA rules place no restriction on invoicing export contracts in Indian Rupees. Nepal and Bhutan contracts use Indian Rupees; other ACU contracts, "a currency determined by the ACU" — either may follow RBI directions instead.
Which exchange rate applies, and what does Shopify charge in?
For goods, CGST Rule 34 converts a foreign-currency value at the rate notified under section 14 of the Customs Act, 1962, for the date of the time of supply under section 12; Notification 66/2017-Central Tax has a non-composition seller pay central tax on goods at the section 12(2)(a) date: the invoice, or its deadline. Services use a different rate.
Shopify converts "at the time of a transaction", such as a payment capture — Shopify's own timing, not the Customs-notified rate Rule 34 names.
Only stores with Shopify Payments or Adyen as the primary gateway charge in a customer's local currency; otherwise customers pay in your store's default currency. India isn't on Shopify Payments' supported-countries list, read October 3, 2026.
Shopify "doesn't create a GST-compliant bill", so a local GST invoicing service or app issues the invoice.
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