How to Import Products from China to India for Online Selling

Registrations you need first

  • IEC (Importer-Exporter Code): apply online on the DGFT website. It is linked to your PAN, and DGFT asks holders to review their IEC details every year.
  • GST registration so you can claim the IGST paid at customs and sell on marketplaces.
  • A business current account for international payments.

Check product rules before you order

  • Many electronics and toys need BIS certification before they can be sold in India.
  • Packaged goods need Legal Metrology labels: importer name and address, MRP, net quantity, month and year of import, and customer care details.
  • Food, cosmetics and medical items have their own approvals.

Getting this wrong can hold your shipment at customs, so check it before you pay the supplier.

Find and verify suppliers

You can source from B2B websites, trade fairs or wholesale markets such as Yiwu, often through a sourcing agent who checks factories, consolidates orders and inspects goods. Always get samples, do a video call with the factory, and use payment terms that protect you. Browse import partners in our import directory.

Work out the landed cost

Your real cost per piece is more than the factory price:

  • Product cost and packing
  • International freight and insurance
  • Customs duty: Basic Customs Duty and Social Welfare Surcharge, depending on the product's HS code
  • IGST at import (usually claimable as input credit)
  • Clearance, port and transport charges to your warehouse

Look up the duty for your HS code in the Indian customs tariff, and ask your customs broker to confirm it before you ship.

Shipping and customs clearance

Courier and air cargo suit small, urgent or high-value orders. Sea freight (LCL for part of a container, FCL for a full one) is much cheaper for bulk goods but slower. When the goods arrive, a licensed customs broker files the Bill of Entry, you pay the duty online and the goods are released. After that, stick MRP labels, photograph the products and list them on Meesho, Amazon or Flipkart.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an IEC to import?

Yes, to import goods for business. Gifts and personal-use items follow separate rules.

How much customs duty will I pay?

It depends on your product’s HS code. Check the customs tariff and have your customs broker confirm it before shipping.

Is sea or air freight better?

Sea freight is cheaper for bulk and heavy goods; air or courier is faster for small, urgent or high-value orders.

Find import partners