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Prohibited and Restricted Items when Sending to India

Every country in the world has its own list of items that they prohibit or restrict import of. has a list of prohibited items that our partners will not carry. When sending to India, as with anywhere in the world, having your package clear customs is simple as long as you follow the rules.

India’s list of prohibited and restricted items is extensive and occasionally very specific (like the restrictions around importing sandals), so we have picked out a few of the main offenders. Before you ship off anything to India that’s not on the list below, be sure to look at the Central Board of Excise and Customs, or a more complete list here.

It’s also important to note that India restricts the import of used clothing of any nature, whether for personal, commercial or professional use, unless the receiver obtains a Special Import Licence (SIL) granted by the Director General of Foreign Trade in India.

You cannot send the following items to India:

  • Pornographic and obscene materials
  • Maps and literature where Indian external boundaries have been shown incorrectly
  • Ivory

Sending Electronics to India

India has some particular rules when it comes to importing certain electronics. One good example of this is mobile phones, which will need to have their IMEI number clearly displayed to clear customs. In order to make sure that your package successfully clears customs with electronics contained, it’s important to double check what extra paperwork needs to be filled in.

Alongside mobile phones of all descriptions, used electrical and electronic equipment require special documentation to be allowed into India. If you want to send mobile phones to India, it is mandatory to have an IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identification) number that is clearly visible on the phone. The IMEI must also be listed on the customs invoice. Most mobile phones have their IMEI numbers printed on the interior of the battery compartment, but it can also be displayed on screen by dialling *#06#.

For used electronics, such as computers or CRT televisions, a No Objection Certificate (NOC) is required from the Ministry of Environment and Forest. This is a letter that states the Ministry has no objection to the import of the relevant item. The receiver of the parcel in India is responsible for the application of the NOC, and if an NOC is not obtained there may be significant delays in delivery or the parcel may be returned.

When sending bulky electronics like televisions to India, it’s vital that they are properly packaged. Televisions and washing machines are among the most commonly damaged shipments and are exempt from our insurance, so you will not be compensated if they break.

Sending Samples (as a business) to India

When shipping as a business to India, shipments of samples that have a value of less than INR10,000 may enter the country without having to pay taxes or duties.

Shipments of samples with a higher value than INR10,000 will be subject to the same duties and taxes as a normal shipment. If you are not a business, you cannot ship samples of any value with tax and duty exemptions.

Sending Clothing and Textiles to India

If you are sending samples or a personal shipment, this is not necessary, but when sending clothing, fabric or other textiles to India there may be delays, as they require a No Objections Certificate. This can be obtained from the Textile Ministries of India.

Certain textiles may need to be shipped to India with certificates of origin or laboratory tests certificates from an accredited laboratory from the origin country to be cleared at customs. This is not a requirement for all shipments, but is at customs discretion, so shipments that have previously passed through customs without an issue may still be delayed.

Sending Medicines to India

There are several extra requirements if you are shipping medicines to India. In order for any parcels containing medicines to clear customs, a No Objection Certificate is required from the Assistant Drug Controller of India. Furthermore, they must have the scientific or chemical name of the drug, not the trade name, on the customs paperwork. If only the trade name is listed, your package could be delayed in clearing customs.

If you are sending the medicine to India for personal use, then you will need to fill in this form and send it with your parcel. If your package is being sent for any other reason, then you should investigate the medicinal import rules further before sending.

In most cases, there is a restriction of 100 pieces of any medicine per shipment, though this may not be the case for commercial customers.

Contacting India Customs:

India customs phone number: +91 - 11 - 2565 2983

Website:http://www.cbec.gov.in/