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GOODS ACROSS BORDERS

DUTY-FREE ALLOWANCES

🇮🇳 India

REGIONASIA PACIFIC
CUSTOMS AUTHORITYCentral Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC)
VAT RATE18%

ALCOHOL

2 L

CIGARETTES

100

GOODS VALUE

≈ US$480

The official Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) allowance page could not be machine-fetched on 2026-09-06 (no allowance page could be located on the site); the figures shown come from our last editorial verification on 2026-07-01 and have not been re-checked against the live page. View source →

Duty-Free Allowances

CategoryAllowance
Alcohol2 L
Cigarettes100
Personal goods value≈ US$480

Duty-free for Indian passengers returning: INR 50,000 (~$600 USD) in general goods for those resident abroad for 3+ days; one laptop; 2L liquor/wine/beer; 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g tobacco. For passengers up to 10 years old, allowance is INR 15,000. Tourist allowance: INR 15,000 for goods other than gold or silver. Allowance for gold/silver jewelry up to specific limits.

Cash Declaration Threshold

US$5,000DECLARATION REQUIRED ABOVE THIS AMOUNT

Local currency equivalent: INR

Travelers carrying cash, traveler's cheques, or negotiable instruments above this threshold must declare them at customs on arrival.

Special Notes

  • 01India's import duties can be complex — Basic Customs Duty (BCD) + Social Welfare Surcharge + IGST layers.
  • 02IGST on imports is typically 5%, 12%, 18%, or 28% depending on the product.
  • 03India has been implementing an 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India) policy with higher tariffs on many goods.
  • 04ICEGATE (Indian Customs Electronic Gateway) handles electronic customs declarations.
  • 05India has FTAs with ASEAN, CEPA with UAE, South Korea, and Japan.
  • 06Gold and silver imports face significant additional duties (currently 15% BCD + surcharges on gold).
  • 07E-way bill system and GST registration are needed for domestic movement of imported goods.

Does what I'm carrying fit?

This is a fit check, not legal advice — the red channel is always available.

RULES5,339COUNTRIES85ITEMS111CARRIERS28GUIDES45UNIQUE SOURCES645LATEST VERIFICATION2026-08-22MethodologyChangelog