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Sea groupage India ⇄ France, from 1 m³

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Customs

Duties, VAT and documents, calculated before departure.

Estimate import duties and VAT, prepare the right documents and see what is changing for shipments between India and France.

Estimate my duties
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Estimate your duties and VAT

For an import from India to France: enter the code of your goods, their value and the transport cost to the port.

The rate depends on the exact code of your goods and their origin.

Check the rate in TARIC (origin India)Find my code (RITA, French customs)

Freight and insurance: use the amount from your Side Cargo quote up to the port. Costs after arrival: delivery and customs fees in France, which are part of the VAT base.

Documents to prepare

We prepare and file the declarations. These documents let us do it without delays at the port.

Importing from India to France

India → France

  1. Commercial invoiceValue, currency, incoterm and an exact description of each item.
  2. Packing listNumber of parcels, gross weight and dimensions.
  3. Importer’s EORI numberRequired for customs clearance in France.
  4. Indian exporter’s IEC codeRequired by Indian customs for any export.
  5. Customs code for each itemAt least 6 digits for the ICS2 safety declaration, 10 digits for clearance in France.
  6. Proof of originOrigin statement from a registered exporter (REX), if you want the reduced GSP rate.
  7. Depending on the goodsHealth or phytosanitary certificates (food, plants, wood), CE conformity (electrical goods, toys), specific licences.

Exporting from France to India

France → India

  1. Commercial invoiceValue, currency, incoterm and an exact description of each item.
  2. Packing listNumber of parcels, gross weight and dimensions.
  3. Exporter’s EORI numberRequired for the export declaration in France.
  4. Indian importer’s IEC codeWithout it, the goods cannot be cleared in India.
  5. Customs code for each itemIndian tariff code (ITC-HS, 8 digits) for clearance on arrival.
  6. Certificate of originIf your customer asks for it; issued by the chamber of commerce.
  7. Depending on the goodsMandatory Indian certifications for some products (BIS for many electronics, FSSAI for food), import licences.

What you need to know

Safety

ICS2: the pre-loading declaration

For any sea shipment into the European Union, a safety declaration is filed before the vessel is loaded. In groupage, Side Cargo files it for your shipment.

For this we need an exact description of the goods (not “parts” or “samples”), a customs code of at least 6 digits, and the names and EORI number of the shipper and consignee.

EU-India agreement

EU-India free trade is not yet in force

The European Commission sent the agreement to the Council on 11 September 2026 for signature. The European Parliament must then approve it and India ratify it. No date of entry into force has been announced.

It will remove or cut duties on 96% of EU exports to India. Until then, the usual duties apply. We will update this page as soon as it comes into force.

Source: European Commission

VAT

Import VAT is self-assessed

If your business is VAT-registered in France, import VAT is declared directly on your VAT return: you do not pay it upfront to customs.

Customs duties, however, are due at clearance. We can pay them on your behalf and recharge them at cost.

Classification

The right customs code

The duty rate depends on the exact code of your goods. A wrong classification can lead to a reassessment, even months later.

For a product you import regularly, ask customs for a binding tariff information (BTI) ruling: it fixes the code for three years. We help you prepare it.

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