Import Duty from China to India: How to Prepare a Landed-Cost Estimate

Import duty from China to India depends on the product classification, customs value, origin and applicable notifications. There is no single percentage that reliably prices every shipment. Use this guide to prepare a duty enquiry and a complete landed-cost estimate before paying your supplier.

Start with the actual product

Provide the product description, material, function, technical specification, model, photographs and intended use. A supplier’s suggested HS code is a starting point for review rather than a final Indian classification. Similar-looking products can have different classifications and requirements.

Use official duty tools

The ICEGATE Trade Guide on Imports supports tariff enquiries. ICEGATE also provides a Custom Duty Calculator. Check the relevant tariff item, origin and effective notifications for the proposed import. Save the date and assumptions used in the estimate, and have the classification and applicable measures reviewed before declaration.

What may appear in the duty calculation?

The assessment may include Basic Customs Duty, Social Welfare Surcharge, import IGST and product-specific cesses or trade-remedy duties where applicable. Exemptions and additional measures can change the result. Do not assume a rate quoted for a broad category applies to every product within it.

Check the relevant official notifications rather than relying on an old price list, a marketplace listing or another importer’s past shipment. A duty estimate and a product approval are separate checks: paying duty does not by itself establish that goods may be imported.

A practical quotation checklist

1. Identify the goods: confirm specifications, quantity, origin and proposed classification.
2. Document value and terms: provide the supplier invoice, currency, freight and insurance information, and agreed delivery basis.
3. Review valuation: ask the customs broker to confirm the applicable valuation adjustments and customs exchange rate.
4. Check duty measures: review the effective tariff, exemptions and any additional product or origin-specific duties.
5. Check product requirements: identify any required approvals, certification, labelling or import authorisation before shipping.
6. Record the result: separate estimated customs payments from freight, handling, storage, broker and final-delivery charges.

Duty is only part of the landed cost

Your budget should also account for goods, China domestic transport, inspection, repacking, consolidation, international freight, insurance arrangements, handling and delivery to your Indian address. Ask which charges are included in the quotation and which could arise separately.

For a simple budgeting illustration, goods costing INR 100,000 plus INR 20,000 in agreed logistics charges and INR 30,000 in hypothetical customs payments total INR 150,000 before any other excluded charges. These are invented inputs showing addition only; they are not a duty rate, IFC quotation or customs valuation calculation.

Can import IGST be claimed as input tax credit?

Eligibility depends on the importer, documentation, use of goods and applicable GST conditions. Ask your tax adviser to confirm your position before treating tax as recoverable. Keep cash outlay and any eligible credit separate in your pricing model; do not subtract a potential credit from the money you need to complete an import.

How IFC can help prepare your enquiry

IFC – Imports From China Inc coordinates China sourcing and import enquiries, including inspection, consolidation, air or sea shipping, customs-clearance support and delivery. Share your cargo information for an assessment and a written quotation. Confirm the importer of record, documentation, service responsibilities, inclusions, exclusions and estimated timing.

Use our shipment calculator for an initial estimate and then confirm the result for the actual shipment. Read our LCL guide, FCL versus LCL comparison and DDP service page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use one duty percentage for all Chinese products?

No. Obtain an estimate for the actual classification, value, origin and applicable measures.

Does a DDP quotation mean product checks can be skipped?

No. Confirm the shipment’s eligibility and documentation as well as the quoted delivery and import responsibilities.

What should I send to request a landed-cost estimate?

Send product specifications and links, quantity, invoice value and currency, supplier location, packed weight and dimensions, and the delivery pincode.

WhatsApp IFC: +91 99119 51631 or submit an import enquiry. See our India office and delivery city guides.