How to Import from China to India: Step-by-Step Process

Start with the product, supplier and complete landed cost before making a payment. IFC – Imports From China Inc can coordinate sourcing, supplier communication, inspection, consolidation, shipping, customs clearance and delivery according to your agreed quotation. This guide explains what to confirm at each stage.

1. Define the product and order

Prepare a specification covering the material, dimensions, intended use, model, quantity, packaging and any branding. Share photographs or a supplier link. For electronics or special cargo, state whether the goods contain batteries, magnets or liquids. A precise brief helps avoid comparing unlike products.

2. Check import feasibility before purchase

Confirm the product classification and current import requirements with the responsible importer and compliance adviser. Decide who will act as importer of record and who provides required documents. Where IFC agrees to import and supply the goods domestically, confirm the importing entity and invoice arrangement in writing. See DGFT IEC guidance and our import-duty planning guide.

3. Review the supplier and sample

Check the business identity, order specification, stock or production position and beneficiary details. Consider a sample before a larger order, and record any approved changes. Agree inspection criteria and the remedy for discrepancies in the purchase terms. For marketplace orders, use the Alibaba order checklist or 1688 order checklist.

4. Compare the complete quotation

Request a breakdown of product value, China collection or supplier delivery, inspection, packing, storage, freight, insurance, clearance, duties, taxes and India delivery. Check which amounts are included, excluded or provisional. Use the China-to-India shipment calculator as an initial planning tool, then confirm the quote with the actual packing list.

5. Agree the order and payment route

Keep the proforma invoice, purchase terms, specifications, goods-ready date and payment schedule together. Independently verify any change in beneficiary details. Marketplace payment protection has its own eligibility and dispute rules; no payment method eliminates every risk.

6. Arrange warehouse receipt and inspection

Ask IFC for the correct warehouse address and shipping mark for your cargo and mode before dispatch. Send each supplier’s carton count, packing list and expected arrival date. Agree how receipt discrepancies will be reported. Inspection scope may include quantity, appearance, packing or agreed functional checks; sampling does not certify every unit.

7. Choose air, LCL or FCL shipping

Compare chargeable weight, packed volume, handling, urgency and the complete freight scope. Air may suit time-sensitive cargo, while sea may suit bulkier orders. Read the FCL versus LCL comparison and LCL consolidation guide. Confirm the booking and cargo cut-off before relying on a departure date.

8. Complete customs and delivery arrangements

Confirm who prepares the commercial invoice, packing list, transport document, import declaration and any product-specific documents. Customs assessment or examination can affect timing and cost. For an agreed door-to-door service, confirm the named delivery address, pincode, unloading arrangements, contact person and any access restrictions.

What should I send IFC for a quotation?

  • Product name, supplier link or photograph, material and intended use.
  • Quantity, invoice value and currency.
  • Carton count, gross weight and packed dimensions or CBM.
  • Supplier location, goods-ready date and any special handling needs.
  • Indian delivery city and pincode, preferred mode and required arrival date.

Common questions before your first import

How long does the complete process take?

Production, sampling, inspection, warehouse receipt, departure availability, international transit, customs and final delivery are separate stages. Ask for a shipment-specific schedule and the assumptions behind it. Do not treat the transit time alone as the complete order-to-door period.

Can IFC help if I have not selected a supplier?

Share your product brief with our China sourcing team. If you already have a supplier, discuss inspection, consolidation or logistics-only support.

Can you combine different supplier orders?

Discuss consolidation before suppliers dispatch. Different readiness dates, packaging, product requirements and handling needs can affect the plan and storage costs.

What if there is damage or a quality problem?

Retain the order, inspection, packing, receipt and transport evidence. Supplier remedies, insurance claims and carrier liability depend on their separate terms. Confirm cover, claim deadlines and the support IFC will provide before shipment.

Next: read the DDP quotation guide, check the office and delivery directory or browse the import FAQ.

Send your import brief to IFC on WhatsApp: +91 99119 51631

Watch an IFC sourcing-to-selling overview

Watch IFC’s China sourcing to Amazon India video for an introduction to the sourcing-to-selling workflow. Assess your own product specification, landed cost and marketplace selling costs before placing an order.