Cost of Importing Furniture from China to India: Duty, Freight and a Worked Example
The cost of importing furniture from China to India is usually 1.4 to 1.7 times the Chinese factory (FOB) price, excluding the GST a registered business can claim back. Customs duty on most chapter 94 furniture is 20% BCD plus 5% AIDC, then 18% IGST on top, and bulky items like sofas push freight up because you pay for volume, not weight.
Below: every cost line for a 40ft HQ of Foshan sofa sets, dining sets and TV units, with duty maths in rupees, freight options, BIS rules, local charges and cost per piece versus buying in India.
Key takeaways
- Duty stack: furniture under HS 9401 and 9403 attracts 20% BCD + 5% AIDC, SWS nil, then 18% IGST (rates as of October 2026).
- Cash at customs: about 47.5% of CIF; the IGST part is creditable for GST-registered buyers.
- Volume decides freight: a 3+2+1 sofa set packs to roughly 3.5 to 4.5 CBM, so above about 15 CBM a full container usually beats LCL.
- Worked example: a Rs 13.05 lakh FOB order from Foshan lands at about Rs 19.7 lakh before GST, or about 1.51 times FOB.
- BIS is mandatory: chairs, tables, storage units and beds need a BIS-licensed factory and ISI mark.
- Plan 10 to 14 weeks: 25 to 45 days of production plus 12 to 20 days at sea, then clearance and delivery.
What is the cost of importing furniture from China to India in 2026?
Your landed cost has eight parts; most buyers only ask the supplier for the first:
- Factory price, EXW or FOB (FOB includes trucking to the Chinese port and export clearance).
- Packing and crating for stone tops, glass and mirrors.
- Quality inspection before loading.
- Ocean freight by LCL, 20ft, 40ft or 40ft HQ container to Nhava Sheva (JNPT), Mundra, Chennai or Kolkata, or by rail to ICD Tughlakabad or Patparganj for Delhi NCR.
- Marine insurance, usually under 1% of cargo value.
- Customs duty and IGST on the Bill of Entry filed on ICEGATE.
- Destination charges: delivery order, terminal or CFS handling and CHA (customs broker) fees.
- Last mile: trucking to your warehouse or site, plus unloading.
Duty is the biggest add-on, but for bulky furniture the logistics lines often add another 15% to 25% of FOB. So a sofa that looks half the price on Alibaba can end up only modestly cheaper than a comparable Indian quote.
What is the import duty on furniture from China to India?
Most furniture falls in chapter 94 of the Indian Customs Tariff. Seats and sofas are under heading 9401, other furniture (tables, beds, cabinets, wardrobes) under 9403. After the Budget 2025 changes, these codes carry 20% Basic Customs Duty plus 5% Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess, with Social Welfare Surcharge exempt, and 18% IGST. No anti-dumping duty applies to these codes from China at the time of writing.
| Product | HS code | BCD | AIDC | SWS | IGST | BIS standard (Furniture QCO) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upholstered sofa or chair, wooden frame | 94016100 | 20% | 5% | Nil | 18% | IS 17632 may apply to chairs |
| Office swivel chair | 94013900 | 20% | 5% | Nil | 18% | IS 17631 (work chairs) |
| Metal furniture (tables, frames) | 94032090 | 20% | 5% | Nil | 18% | IS 17633 to 17636 as applicable |
| Wooden bed | 94035010 | 20% | 5% | Nil | 18% | IS 17635 (beds) |
| Other wooden furniture (dining tables, TV units) | 94036000 | 20% | 5% | Nil | 18% | IS 17633 or 17634 as applicable |
Rates as of October 2026 from the IFC duty database; confirm for your exact HS code before you order. You can check each code on IFC’s India import duty rates by HS code page, for example the HS 94036000 wooden furniture page, and the official tariff on CBIC.
How the duty is calculated
- Assessable value = CIF value in rupees (FOB + ocean freight + insurance), converted at the CBIC notified exchange rate for the week of the Bill of Entry. Indian customs no longer adds a separate 1% landing charge.
- BCD = 20% of assessable value; AIDC = 5% of assessable value; SWS = nil for these lines.
- IGST = 18% of (assessable value + BCD + AIDC).
On Rs 100 of CIF value that is Rs 20 BCD, Rs 5 AIDC and Rs 22.50 IGST, so Rs 47.50 in total. Older articles quoting 25% BCD plus 10% SWS are out of date. Our import duty from China to India guide explains the method for all product types.
Do you need BIS certification to import furniture from China?
Yes, for most commercial furniture. The Furniture (Quality Control) Order, 2025 made BIS certification and the ISI mark compulsory from 13 February 2026 (micro and small Indian manufacturers got time until 13 August 2026). It covers six Indian Standards:
- IS 17631:2022 work chairs (office and task chairs)
- IS 17632:2022 general purpose chairs and stools
- IS 17633:2022 tables and desks
- IS 17634:2022 storage units
- IS 17635:2022 beds and IS 17636:2022 bunk beds
For imports, the licence must belong to the Chinese factory that makes the product (BIS Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme), and the goods must carry the ISI mark with that licence number. Customs can hold covered furniture without it. Before you pay a deposit, ask the supplier for its BIS licence number and check it on the BIS website. Not every Foshan factory holds one, which can narrow your supplier list for dining chairs, office chairs, tables, wardrobes and beds.
Sofas have no separate standard; whether a sofa or lounge chair falls under IS 17632 depends on design, so confirm each model with BIS or your CHA and check the current notification, as DPIIT amended several QCOs in 2026.
Wood and packing rules
Wooden crates and pallets must be ISPM-15 heat treated and stamped. Solid-wood furniture can be referred to plant quarantine, so get fumigation or heat-treatment certificates from the supplier.
How much does it cost to ship furniture from Foshan to India: LCL, 20ft or 40ft HQ?
Foshan, with Lecong (furniture markets) and Longjiang (upholstery) in Shunde district, is China’s largest furniture cluster. Cargo usually loads at Nansha (Guangzhou) or Shenzhen ports. Port-to-port sailing to Nhava Sheva takes about 12 to 20 days.
Furniture is light for its size, so freight is charged on CBM. Typical packed volumes from Foshan factories:
| Item (packed) | Approx. CBM | Approx. gross weight |
|---|---|---|
| 3-seater sofa | 1.6 to 2.2 | 55 to 80 kg |
| Sofa set 3+2+1 | 3.5 to 4.5 | 120 to 180 kg |
| Dining table, knocked down | 0.3 to 0.6 | 40 to 90 kg (stone tops are heavier) |
| Dining chair (2 per carton) | 0.15 to 0.25 each | 7 to 12 kg each |
| King bed with headboard, knocked down | 0.8 to 1.2 | 60 to 110 kg |
| Office swivel chair | 0.2 to 0.3 | 12 to 20 kg |
Because cartons are irregular and sofas cannot be stacked high, plan on loading less than the nominal container volume:
| Option | Practical furniture load | Indicative ocean freight, South China to Nhava Sheva | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| LCL (shared container) | 1 to 15 CBM | Rs 4,000 to Rs 7,500 per CBM, plus origin and CFS charges | Samples, a few sofa sets, home orders |
| 20ft container | 25 to 28 CBM | Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,20,000 | One room set or a small showroom refill |
| 40ft standard | 52 to 58 CBM | Rs 80,000 to Rs 1,70,000 | Mixed showroom orders |
| 40ft HQ | 60 to 65 CBM | Rs 85,000 to Rs 1,80,000 | Sofas, beds, wardrobes, hotel projects |
Freight figures are indicative, October 2026. Rates move with the market and the season; always take a written quote. LCL takes roughly 3 to 6 weeks door to door. Above about 15 CBM, a full container is usually cheaper and safer, as goods are loaded once at the factory. See FCL vs LCL shipping from China to India for the break-even method.
Worked example: landed cost of a 40ft HQ of Foshan furniture
Assume a Pune-based interior firm orders one 40ft HQ from two Foshan factories, priced FOB Nansha. Exchange rate is taken at an illustrative Rs 90 per USD; customs will use the CBIC rate for the week you file.
- 8 sofa sets (3+2+1), wooden frame, upholstered, HS 94016100: USD 700 each, 4.1 CBM each
- 10 dining sets (wooden table + 6 upholstered chairs), HS 94036000 and 94016100: USD 710 each, 1.55 CBM each
- 10 wooden TV units, HS 94036000: USD 180 each, 0.45 CBM each
- Total: USD 14,500 FOB (Rs 13,05,000), 52.8 CBM, about 2,900 kg
| Cost line | How it is worked out | Amount (Rs) |
|---|---|---|
| FOB value | USD 14,500 x 90 | 13,05,000 |
| Ocean freight, 40ft HQ | Assumed USD 1,500 | 1,35,000 |
| Marine insurance | Actual premium, all-risk cover | 8,000 |
| CIF = assessable value | FOB + freight + insurance | 14,48,000 |
| BCD | 20% of 14,48,000 | 2,89,600 |
| AIDC | 5% of 14,48,000 | 72,400 |
| SWS | Exempt for these codes | 0 |
| IGST | 18% of 18,10,000 (CIF + BCD + AIDC) | 3,25,800 |
| Pre-shipment inspection | One inspector-day plus loading check | 25,000 |
| Extra crating and corner protection | Not included in FOB price | 20,000 |
| Destination charges at Nhava Sheva | Delivery order, terminal or CFS handling | 50,000 |
| CHA and documentation | Bill of Entry, examination support | 15,000 |
| Trucking to Pune warehouse | 40ft container, one trip | 35,000 |
| Unloading and site delivery | Labour and small vehicle to sites | 15,000 |
| Landed cost before GST | CIF + BCD + AIDC + local costs | 19,70,000 |
| Total cash outflow | Including IGST of 3,25,800 | 22,95,800 |
Duty rates as of October 2026; confirm for your exact HS code. Local cost lines are indicative, October 2026, and service charges carry GST. The landed cost is about 1.51 times FOB. If the firm is GST-registered and resells or bills the furniture to clients, the Rs 3,25,800 IGST comes back as input tax credit. A hotel or end user that cannot use the credit should treat it as cost, so check this with your CA.
Cost per piece
Splitting freight and local costs by CBM and duty by value gives:
| Item | FOB (Rs) | Landed before GST (Rs) | Approx. with 18% GST (Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sofa set 3+2+1 | 63,000 | 1,04,800 | 1,23,600 |
| Dining set (table + 6 chairs) | 63,900 | 90,000 | 1,06,200 |
| TV unit | 16,200 | 23,200 | 27,300 |
The sofa set costs about the same FOB as a dining set but lands about Rs 15,000 higher, purely because of volume. You can run your own numbers in the IFC shipment calculator.
Is it cheaper to import furniture from China or buy it in India?
Compare your landed cost per piece with a written quote from an Indian manufacturer for the same specification: frame wood, foam density, fabric or leather grade, hardware, finish and warranty. In the example above, importing makes sense only if comparable Indian quotes are clearly above about Rs 1.24 lakh for the sofa set and Rs 1.06 lakh for the dining set, including GST.
| Factor | Import from Foshan | Buy from an Indian maker |
|---|---|---|
| Design range | Very wide, current styles, many finishes | Narrower for modern designs |
| Minimum order | Often a container, or a few pieces per model | Single pieces possible |
| Lead time | 10 to 14 weeks from order to site | Often 3 to 8 weeks |
| Hidden costs | Duty, freight, damage risk, BIS checks | Fewer, but price may be higher |
Importing wins most on value-dense pieces made in quantity (stone-top tables, metal-frame chairs, hotel casegoods) and least on bulky, simple or urgent one-off items.
How do hotel and interior designer project orders change the cost?
Project orders mix many factories and models, so coordination and risk matter more than unit price.
- Consolidation: collect goods from several Foshan, Guangzhou and other suppliers into one warehouse and load one container, instead of paying LCL for each supplier.
- Samples: approve one sample or finish panel per model before mass production.
- Room-wise labelling: mark cartons by room or floor for faster site unloading.
- Specifications: hotel brands may need fire-retardant fabrics or contract-grade foam; put these in the purchase order and inspection checklist.
- Spares: ship extra fabric, legs and fittings in the same container.
- Timeline: link supplier balances to inspection reports and add a buffer around Chinese New Year and Golden Week.
How do you avoid damage, delays and extra costs?
- Fix the HS code and BIS position before ordering. A wrong code or missing ISI mark means daily detention and storage charges.
- Insist on export packing: five-layer cartons, foam corners, crates for stone and glass, desiccant bags in monsoon.
- Inspect before the balance payment: dimensions, colour against the sample, stitching, stability and loading photos.
- Buy all-risk marine insurance, photograph the cargo when the container is opened and report damage in writing quickly.
- Declare the real value. Suppliers who offer a “low invoice” put you at risk of reassessment, penalties and seizure. Customs compares values across similar imports.
- Keep documents consistent. Commercial invoice, packing list, Bill of Lading and BIS details must match so the CHA can file the Bill of Entry on ICEGATE without queries.
How IFC helps you import furniture from China to India
IFC (Imports From China) has 20+ years in China–India import and export, with its own offices in Guangzhou and Yiwu staffed by translators and English-speaking team members. For furniture buyers that means:
- Sourcing and supplier verification for furniture from Foshan and other Chinese clusters.
- Quality inspection before goods leave the factory.
- LCL and FCL sea freight and air cargo, with daily loading of mixed containers, so small orders can join a shared container.
- Customs clearance and door-to-door DDP delivery to Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad and other major cities. IFC also has a warehouse at its headquarters.
Conclusion
The real cost of importing furniture from China to India is the factory price plus about 25% customs duty on CIF, freight that depends on CBM, and a set of local charges that are easy to forget. Fix the HS code, confirm the supplier’s BIS licence, pick LCL or a container by volume, and compare landed cost per piece with an Indian quote for the same specification.
Get your real landed cost: enter your product, weight and CBM in the IFC shipment calculator, check your HS code on the India import duty rates page, or call IFC on +91 98116 91631 for a door-to-door DDP quote from China to your city.
Frequently asked questions
What is the import duty on furniture from China to India?
For most furniture under HS headings 9401 and 9403, India charges 20% Basic Customs Duty and 5% AIDC on the CIF value, with Social Welfare Surcharge exempt, and then 18% IGST on CIF plus duty. That works out to about 47.5% of CIF paid at customs, of which 25% is a real cost and the IGST can be claimed as input tax credit. Rates as of October 2026; confirm for your exact HS code.
Is BIS certification required to import furniture into India?
Yes for most commercial furniture. The Furniture Quality Control Order made the ISI mark compulsory from 13 February 2026 for work chairs, general purpose chairs and stools, tables and desks, storage units, beds and bunk beds. The Chinese factory must hold its own BIS licence under the foreign manufacturers scheme. Check the licence number on the BIS website before paying and confirm sofa models case by case.
How many sofa sets fit in a 40ft HQ container?
A 3+2+1 sofa set usually packs to about 3.5 to 4.5 CBM, and a 40ft HQ practically takes about 60 to 65 CBM of furniture because sofas cannot be stacked high. That means roughly 13 to 18 full sofa sets, or fewer if you mix in tables and beds. Ask the supplier for the exact carton sizes and a loading plan.
Is it worth importing furniture from China to India?
It is worth it when the landed cost per piece, including duty, freight, local charges and GST, is clearly below a written Indian quote for the same specification. Value-dense items such as stone-top dining tables, metal-frame chairs and hotel furniture made in quantity gain the most. Bulky, simple items and urgent one-off pieces gain the least.
How long does it take to import furniture from Foshan to India?
Plan 10 to 14 weeks from order to delivery. Production typically takes 25 to 45 days, sailing from South China to Nhava Sheva about 12 to 20 days, and customs clearance plus trucking add one to two weeks. LCL shipments take roughly 3 to 6 weeks door to door after the goods are ready. Chinese New Year and Golden Week add delays.
Do I need an IEC to import furniture from China?
Yes. A business importing furniture for sale or client projects needs an Importer Exporter Code from DGFT, and a GSTIN to claim back the IGST paid at customs. Your CHA files the Bill of Entry on ICEGATE using these details. If you do not have an IEC, ask a DDP provider how it can handle the import for you.
Comments for this post are closed.