Shipping from China to India — City Guides, Customs and Transit Times
China → India · clearance by Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC)
Freight from China into India clears through BOM air / Nhava Sheva sea. India is served through Nhava Sheva (JNPA, Mumbai), Mundra, Chennai, and the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.
The clearing authority is Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). Historical dwell on this gateway is around 3–8 days, and it lengthens in Aug–Nov.
What the routing looks like in practice
India is the largest South Asian lane but the least DDP-friendly. Duty and IGST must be paid against the consignee's own IEC and GSTIN, so a true door-to-door DDP where the forwarder acts as importer is rarely possible — in practice the structure is DAP with duty prepaid on the buyer's behalf. Clarify this before quoting, because it changes who can recover the IGST input credit.
| Air gateways used | DEL (Delhi), BOM (Mumbai), MAA (Chennai) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 2–5 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Nhava Sheva (JNPA, Mumbai), Mundra, Chennai |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 7–14 calendar days |
| Gateway serving India | BOM air / Nhava Sheva sea |
| Inland leg to India | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 3–8 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Aug–Nov |
Delivery cities in India
Principal delivery points: Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Kolkata. Pick a city for the gateway it uses and the inland leg beyond clearance.
Import duty and tax position for India
Imports into India are cleared by Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). The headline position is: Basic customs duty 0–20% plus IGST 5–28% plus a social welfare surcharge of 10% of the duty. The de-minimis threshold is No commercial de-minimis; gift relief up to INR 5,000 only.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: BIS registration under the Compulsory Registration Scheme for electronics; WPC/ETA approval for wireless devices; the consignee must hold a valid Importer-Exporter Code (IEC). Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for India: BIS registration for electronics is enforced strictly and cannot be fixed after arrival. Toys, steel and several electronics categories need quality-control-order compliance. Confirm the consignee's IEC and GSTIN before the goods leave China.
Air, sea or overland into India?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Air Freight | 2–5 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| 🚢 Sea Freight | 7–14 calendar days | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the India gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to India and 3–8 days of clearance.
Before you book: India checklist
- Put the India delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Aug–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Confirm the consignee in India can act as importer of record — Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach India.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the India duty rate against it yourself.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to India take?
China to the India gateway is 2–5 business days by air, 7–14 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 3–8 days of clearance with Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and a same-day inland leg to India.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into India?
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) applies: Basic customs duty 0–20% plus IGST 5–28% plus a social welfare surcharge of 10% of the duty. The de-minimis position is No commercial de-minimis; gift relief up to INR 5,000 only. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in India.
What documents does Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) require?
A commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, a certificate of origin where it lowers duty, and any product certification (BIS registration under the Compulsory Registration Scheme for electronics; WPC/ETA approval for wireless devices; the consignee must hold a valid Importer-Exporter Code (IEC)). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to India?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via DEL (Delhi), BOM (Mumbai), MAA (Chennai). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
What certification do I need for India?
For regulated goods, plan for: BIS registration under the Compulsory Registration Scheme for electronics; WPC/ETA approval for wireless devices; the consignee must hold a valid Importer-Exporter Code (IEC). Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into India?
Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 7–14 calendar days by sea versus 2–5 business days by air to the India gateway, before clearance and the same-day inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for India change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) or your broker before you ship.
- Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC)
- Indian Customs tariff and ICEGATE
- Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- WCO — Harmonized System nomenclature
- IMO — IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
- IATA — Lithium battery shipping guidance (PI 965–970)
Page data last reviewed: July 2026.
Get a rate for India
This lane is quoted per shipment rather than from a published rate card, because the landed cost depends on the commodity, its density, the conformity requirements above and the delivery point. Send the cargo details and we will come back with a full DDP figure.