Bringing it into India is the harder half.
Demurrage starts the day your container lands. We file the Bill of Entry the moment the manifest hits ICEGATE, model your duty before the vessel berths, and attend the examination so queries get answered the same day.
5
clearance steps
ICEGATE
Bill of Entry filed
8+
HS lines mapped
Same day
examination queries
Import to India
Freight estimate
We deliver cleared and loaded at the Indian port.
Modes compared
Express courier
Fastest850.0 kg chargeable (gross 850.0 kg, volumetric 700.0 kg)
4–6 days port to port
$5,667.00
$6.67/kg all-in
Freight
$5,508.00
Origin
$45.00
Customs
$30.00
Insurance
$84.00
Air cargo
850.0 kg chargeable (gross 850.0 kg, volumetric 700.0 kg)
6–9 days port to port
$3,404.00
$4.00/kg all-in
Freight
$3,060.00
Origin
$165.00
Customs
$95.00
Insurance
$84.00
Sea LCL (shared container)
Cheapest4.20 CBM (1 CBM minimum)
24–34 days port to port
$783.60
$0.92/kg all-in
Freight
$369.60
Origin
$210.00
Customs
$120.00
Insurance
$84.00
Sea FCL (full container)
1 × 40ft container
21–30 days port to port
$2,949.00
$3.47/kg all-in
Freight
$2,380.00
Origin
$340.00
Customs
$145.00
Insurance
$84.00
Indicative rates for planning. Final pricing depends on carrier allocation, season, fuel and destination charges, which we confirm on a firm quote within one working day.
Clearance
Five steps, and the clock running through all of them.
Pre-alert & classification
HS code assigned and duty modelled before the goods leave origin.
Bill of Entry
Filed on ICEGATE the moment the manifest lands.
Duty & IGST
BCD, social welfare surcharge and IGST computed and paid on your behalf.
Customs examination
We attend the examination and clear queries same-day.
Delivery order & last mile
Container or LCL cargo delivered to your warehouse.
Classification
The HS code decides everything.
A sample of lines we clear regularly. Indicative rates for planning — we classify against the live tariff and tell you which heading we used and why.
| HS code | Description | BCD | IGST | Effective on $10,000 | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6109.10 | T-shirts, singlets, knitted, of cotton | 20.0% | 5% | $2,810.00 | Apparel attracts a high BCD; check for FTA preference. |
| 8471.30 | Portable computers, under 10 kg | 0.0% | 18% | $1,800.00 | ITA-1 bound at nil BCD. |
| 3004.90 | Medicaments, packaged for retail sale | 10.0% | 12% | $2,432.00 | CDSCO import licence required for the consignee. |
| 9002.11 | Objective lenses for cameras and projectors | 7.5% | 18% | $2,773.50 | Frequently misclassified against 9001; the duty differs. |
| 3901.10 | Polyethylene, specific gravity under 0.94 | 10.0% | 18% | $3,098.00 | Anti-dumping duty applies from some origins. |
| 7113.19 | Jewellery of precious metal | 20.0% | 3% | $2,566.00 | Hallmarking and valuation scrutiny at the port. |
| 8708.99 | Parts and accessories of motor vehicles | 15.0% | 28% | $4,912.00 | Highest IGST slab — model it before you commit. |
| 0902.30 | Black tea, packings not exceeding 3 kg | 100.0% | 5% | $12,050.00 | Protected agricultural line; 100% BCD. |
Duty stack
What actually gets charged at the port.
Indian import duty compounds — the surcharge sits on the duty, and IGST sits on both. A 10% classification error is never just 10%.
We classify against the customs tariff and tell you the assumption we used, so if your product sits on a boundary between two headings you can see it and decide.
Basic Customs Duty (BCD)
Set by HS code. Getting the classification right is the difference between 0% and 30%.
Social Welfare Surcharge
10% of the BCD amount on most goods.
IGST
Charged on assessable value plus BCD plus surcharge. Creditable against your output GST.
Compensation cess
Applies to a narrow set of goods — tobacco, coal, certain vehicles.