🇮🇳How to import into India

These sectors carry their own import requirement in India. For each, a legitimate importer holds the document named below, issued by the named regulator. Ask for it, then verify it at the source.

• cosmeticsRegistration required

  product registration from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).

  Importer must obtain a Form COS-2 Registration Certificate by submitting formulation details through the SUGAM system.

  Official source
• medical devicesImport permit required

  import licence from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).

  Importer must apply for an Import Licence in Form MD-15 through the CDSCO portal after completing device registration.

  Official source
• pharmaceuticalsRegistration required

  product registration from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).

  Importer must register the manufacturing site and drug products via the SUGAM online portal to obtain an Import License.

  Official source
• telecom/radio equipmentImport permit required

  conformity certificate from the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC).

  Importer must obtain a Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment (MTCTE) certificate before customs clearance.

  Official source
• used goodsRestricted licence

  import licence from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

  Importer must secure a specific restricted import authorization from DGFT prior to shipping second-hand electronics or machinery.

  Official source

This is a factual pointer to public rules, not legal advice, and the list is not exhaustive.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a licence to import into India?

It depends on the product. General goods clear India customs without a sector licence, but regulated sectors (cosmetics, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, telecom/radio equipment, used goods) require a specific permit, registration or licence from the regulator named on this page.

How do I check an importer in India is allowed to bring in my product?

Ask the buyer for the import permit or product-registration number for the sector, then confirm it with the named regulator. A genuine importer of regulated goods already holds one; a buyer who cannot produce it may not clear customs.

Is importing a specific product into India ever banned?

Most sectors are permitted with the right licence or registration. Always confirm the current rule with the named regulator before shipping.

What do I need to clear customs in India?

A business importing into India needs a Importer Exporter Code (IEC). No consignment clears Indian customs without an IEC issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, linked to the importer's PAN. A normal commercial shipment also travels with: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, bill of entry filed on icegate, certificate of origin, when claiming an agreement rate.

How much tax do I pay importing into India?

Standard GST in India is 18%, charged on the goods plus freight plus duty. Customs duty depends on the product's HS code, so there is no single rate: look yours up in ICEGATE, Indian customs portal, then add both to the goods and freight to get the landed cost.

Which Incoterms will a small supplier agree to?

Usually EXW or FCA. Small and artisan producers normally sell EXW (you collect at their workshop) or FCA (they hand the goods to your carrier). Expect to arrange freight, insurance and customs clearance yourself, or through a forwarder. DAP and DDP shift carriage and import formalities onto the seller, and a small maker will usually decline them: under DDP the seller must even be able to pay import taxes in your country. Larger exporters more often quote FOB or CIF for sea freight.

India suppliers by sector

Manufacturers and wholesalers based in India, with the open-record facts we hold on each and a link to the free public source behind them.