2–4 days express air — customs required. BCD up to 20% + 18% IGST. Allow extra time for Indian customs clearance.
India is a rapidly growing import market and a significant destination for Portuguese exports including machinery, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and luxury goods. All shipments from Portugal to India require customs clearance through Indian Customs (CBIC — Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs). India applies Basic Customs Duty (BCD) at rates typically ranging from 0% to 20% on most manufactured goods, plus IGST (Integrated Goods and Services Tax) at 18% standard rate — creating a combined effective import tax often exceeding 30% on many categories. There is no EU-India Free Trade Agreement in force (BTIA negotiations were relaunched in 2022 and are ongoing). Indian customs can be slow — even well-documented express shipments can take 1–3 extra days if flagged for examination. DHL Express delivers to Mumbai and Delhi in 2–4 business days.
| Carrier | Economy | Express | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DHL Express | — | 2–4 days | DHL Express Worldwide. Strong Mumbai and Delhi hubs. Best option for India. |
| FedEx | 5–8 days | 2–4 days | International Priority (2–4 days) or International Economy (5–8 days). |
| UPS | 6–10 days | 3–5 days | UPS Worldwide Express (3–5 days) or Worldwide Expedited (6–10 days). |
| DPD | — | — | DPD does not serve India — EU road network only. Use DHL, FedEx or UPS. |
| GLS | — | — | GLS does not serve India. Use DHL, FedEx or UPS for India. |
Times are business days. Customs clearance time (if applicable) is additional and variable.
India requires customs clearance on all imports. Basic Customs Duty (BCD): 0–20% depending on HS code. High BCD categories: electronics (10–20%), textiles (20%), food products (30%+). IGST (Integrated GST): 18% standard rate on most goods; 12% reduced; 5% super-reduced for essential goods; 28% on luxury goods and sin goods. Total effective import tax = BCD + Social Welfare Surcharge (10% of BCD) + IGST on aggregate value. Example: a machine with 10% BCD and 18% IGST has effective rate of ~30%. No EU-India FTA is in force — EU goods face full MFN rates. Personal import de minimis: INR 10,000 (~€110) duty-free. Commercial imports: all consignments require Import General Manifest (IGM) and Bill of Entry. IEC (Import Export Code): Indian importers must have an IEC number — ensure your B2B customer provides their IEC on the commercial invoice.
Always obtain your Indian customer's IEC (Import Export Code) before shipping — it is required on the Bill of Entry and without it customs clearance cannot proceed.
Indian customs can examine shipments at its discretion — even perfect documentation can lead to 2–5 day delays for physical inspection. Build buffer time for India shipments.
DHL Express is the most reliable for India — excellent Mumbai (BOM) and Delhi (DEL) operations with dedicated customs brokerage teams.
Declare the correct HS code — India has HS code-specific import restrictions, import licensing requirements and anti-dumping duties on certain categories. An incorrect code can cause significant delays.
India has specific labelling requirements for food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals — Indian labelling must include local importer details, MRP (Maximum Retail Price) and FSSAI licence number for food.
Large shipments (above INR 1,00,000 / ~€1,100): B2B importers can use MOOWR (Manufacture and Other Operations in Warehouse Regulations) for deferred duty payment — a significant cash flow benefit for regular importers.
DHL Express: 2–4 business days to Mumbai and Delhi. FedEx International Priority: 2–4 days; Economy: 5–8 days. UPS Worldwide Express: 3–5 days. Add 1–3 extra days for Indian customs clearance — Indian customs may examine shipments, causing delays even for well-documented parcels. Allow 3–7 days total for B2C and 2–5 days for B2B express.
India applies Basic Customs Duty (BCD) at 0–20% plus IGST at 18% (standard). The combined effective import tax on many EU manufactured goods is 28–42%. There is no EU-India FTA, so EU goods face full MFN rates. High-duty categories: textiles (20% BCD + 12% IGST), electronics (10–20% BCD + 18% IGST), alcohol (150% BCD + 28% IGST). Low-duty: medicines (0% BCD + 5% IGST).
IEC (Import Export Code) is India's mandatory registration for all commercial importers and exporters — a 10-digit code issued by DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade). Your Indian B2B customer must have an IEC to import goods commercially. Always request the IEC from your Indian buyer and include it on the commercial invoice. Without IEC, goods cannot be cleared through Indian customs for commercial import.
IGST (Integrated Goods and Services Tax) rates for imports: 28% on luxury goods, automobiles, tobacco; 18% standard for most manufactured goods; 12% on processed food, some machinery; 5% on essential items, medicines; 0% on some food grains, medical items. IGST is charged on the assessable value (CIF + BCD + surcharges) — so IGST is effectively a tax on tax when high BCD applies.
Not yet — EU-India BTIA (Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement) negotiations were originally launched in 2007, stalled for nearly a decade, and were formally relaunched in June 2022. As of 2026, negotiations are ongoing across goods, services, investment and intellectual property chapters. Until the BTIA is concluded and ratified, EU goods — including Portuguese exports — face India's full MFN tariff rates.
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