India imported 78.88 billion worth of goods from China in 2021. Though the import-export business was affected some years ago for political and Covid,  it revived again And don’t forget they are the second largest populated country after China. Therefore, India is a huge market for China. And We have been providing cheap shipping from China to India for more than a decade.

This guide will help you to understand the shipping between these two countries and how to get the best shipping rates from China to India.

India and China are neighboring countries. You can even travel from China to India by road, but that will take you more than two days to travel as the road distance is over 4 thousand kilometers. Train service between these two countries is under development.

But those are for civil transport only. But how to ship to India?

It takes only about 4 hours to travel from Kolkata to Guangzhou. We hope you got an idea about the required flight time between these two countries.

Therefore, air freight is fastest after express shipping. You can receive your goods in under five days or less than that using air freight.

If you are not importing over 200 Kg, air freight is a reliable, fast, and cost-effective shipping solution.

Air freight uses the chargeable weight method to determine the cost of your shipment. Some importers become confused hearing the term for the first time. But that is not as complicated as it sounds.

If you are new to air freight you need to understand how the weight system of air freight works.

After determining both the weight, they charge for you the higher weight, which we are calling chargeable weight. If you are concerned about shipping charges from China to India by air freight you have to understand how this shipping works.

The formula air freight used to find out the chargeable weight is 1:167, which means 1 CBM = 167 Kg.

Let us make it easy for you with a real-life example. Suppose your shipment’s gross weight is 100Kg and the volume is 1 CBM (Cubic Meter.)

Here the Gross weight = 100 Kg

Volumetric weight = 100*1.67 = 167 Kg.

In this case, the chargeable weight will be 167 Kg.

Let’s consider another scenario. For example, the gross weight of your shipment is 500 Kg, and the volume is 2 CBM.

Here the Gross weight = 500 Kg

Volumetric weight = 2*1.67 = 334 Kg.

In this case, the chargeable weight will be 500 Kg.

So, that’s how you calculate the chargeable weight for your shipment. Though we told you earlier, you should consider air freight to India if the shipment is under 200 Kg, that is not the case for all scenarios.

NOTE: In Express shipping, the ratio becomes 1:2. 

India has 13 large ports and nearly two hundred mini ports to support them.  Those ports are responsible for 95% of the total imports by volume and 68% by value of India. Therefore, you can understand that sea freight is India’s main shipping medium.

If you are looking for cheap shipping this is the best you can get. And as India and China are neighbor countries, sea shipping between these two countries does not take too much time.

Sea freights need 13 to 35 days to transport your goods. It depends on the distance between the two ports. Here are your options:

Less than a container load or LCL shipping is the cheapest shipping medium when you are not shipping a huge amount of goods. Here you don’t book the entire cargo to ship. You pay for the space that your product occupies.

First, you have to pick a freight forwarder and send them all the details of your shipment. Then they book space on a container for your goods. You pay them for the required space and collect your goods when the ship reaches the port.

Winsky provides the best LCL shipping service in China. We handle your goods with expert hands and ensure that your goods safely reach their destination in India. In addition, you get the cheapest LCL shipping charge from us.

FCL shipping is a very cheap shipping method. But here is an issue. In FCL shipping, you have to reserve a full container. As you can not share the container with other shippers, you have to import a huge number of products from China.

Containers are of two types– 20 ft and 40 ft. You can reserve one according to your requirement. This shipping method is ideal for large organizations or importing large products such as cars from China.

FCL is the cheapest shipping solution when you have a bulk shipment at your hand.

Firstly, the shipping charges from China to India depend on the shipping mode. Then the types of goods, shipping period, many other factors are involved in the process. Let’s discuss the cost of shipping from China to India.

Express shipping is the fastest of all. As it is a fast, reliable, and flexible shipping process, it costs the most. The chargeable weight is also higher than air freight.

Express shipping costs varied from Rs. 415 to Rs. 670 for 100 Kg in February 2021. You can get an overall idea about the cost of shipping from China to India using express shipping.

Air freight is also a fast shipping method but not as fast as express shipping. You can receive your goods in under five days using air shipping in India. Air freight cost is not as high as express shipping.

Air shipping is not a door to door solution. So, you have to take care of the customs in India. You can book a broker in India, or your freight forwarder can do that for you. At Winsky freight, we offer a customs clearance service for your air freight clients.

Air freight shipping costs varied from Rs320 to Rs 355 in February 2021 for 100 Kg goods. The cost variation depends on many factors. So it is always better to ask for a quotation from several freight forwarders before you book one.

Sea shipping is the highest used shipping method in India. And because of the Geological position of these two countries, you don’t have to wait too long also.

It is tough to provide any cost information on sea freight without knowing the distance between two ports, the type of your shipping, and the product you are importing. But we are providing one costing information to give you an idea about the cost.

From Mumbai port to Shanghai port, LCL shipping varied from Rs. 7000 to Rs. 8500 in February 2021. In the same time period, the FCL shipping cost for a 40ft container ranged from Rs.23,500 to Rs.27,000.

Ocean shipping cost varies for various reasons, such as the price of the oil, shipping time, type of your goods. So, you should always ask for a quote from a freight forwarder to know the accurate price.

Our LCL Shipping packages have an exclusive offer for Indian clients. You can ask for a quote from us if you have anything to ship.

Firstly, the shipping time from China to India depends on the shipping mode.

If you use express shipping, it will take 1-3 days to receive your goods in India. On the other hand, you can receive your goods in 4/5 days using air freight. Remember, air freight is not a door to door shipping method, so you also have to wait for customs clearance.

Now come to the ocean shipping time from China to India. Here time ranges from 12 to 35 days. It depends on the distance between the two ports and when you are importing.  If you ship in the holiday season, it will take more than the regular time.

You will get a better understanding of sea shipping time from china to India the below table:

Every country implies import taxes and duties to earn from the imported products, and India is no exception. There are 3 major charges when you import from China to India. Let’s learn about shipping from China to India customs charges.

This is the basic charge like any other country in the world. It depends on the type of your goods. Please visit the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs of India to find more information.

There is another duty on top of the basic duties which is known as an additional charge. If you import Alchohol or Spirits, you will be excluded from this charge. Otherwise, you have to pay these additional charges.

IGST or Integrated Goods And Services Tax is another tax that the Indian government implies to all imports, including Alchohol. You have to pay four percent special duty.

This is the fourth charge you have to pay to the Indian customs. It is 10% of your total imports. But this charge is based on your basic and additional customs duties.

Well, there are certain quality standards every Indian importer needs to follow.

The first thing is the labeling declaration. You have to use the English language on the labels. However, Hindi is also permitted.

Apart from that, you have declared detailed information about what is inside the package. Indian customs policies are very strict, and if you miss any information that are declared to contain, they will confiscate your shipment.

Here is the information you should provide:

• Importers full address with Name
• Product’s Common name.
• Manufacturing date and expiry date of your product.
• Quantity of your goods in standard units.
• The highest selling price of the imported items in India.
• Composition and Ingredients detail for food products with the lot or batch number.
• Green Circle must be used for vegetable foods.
• Brown Circle for non-vegetable foods.

The first thing is the product. As an importer, you have to identify which product you will import. You have to research the Indian market. For example, Electronics, Furniture, Footwear, Cosmetics, Vehicles from China have a huge demand in India.

You can not import to India without an IEC code. You can apply for the IEC code from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade’s Website.

The next step is to find a supplier. You can talk to other importers who import the same goods from China. You can research online. Attending trade shows is another good way to find a good supplier in India. It’s better to visit your supplier. If you can not do that, ask for a sample before you order a bulk quantity.

The next thing is calculating shipping from China to India cost. While importing, you should understand which shipping method you will choose and which incoterm will be best for you. Here is the cost you should consider:

• Inland cost in China.
• Port cost in China.
• Product handling cost in port.
• Documentation cost.
• Insurance cost (Optional).
• Customs clearance cost.
• Product handling and inland cost in India.
• Freight forwarder’s charge.

After you are done with your calculation, you should order goods. Do not pay full in advance and verify the credibility of the supplier or third party you are dealing with.

Now it’s time to find a shipping forwarder China to India. Finding a freight forwarder is not an easy thing to do in CHIna. China is the leading exporter in the world. Hence the country is full of freight forwarders. Here are some tips from us you should look for:

• How experienced are they?
• How many services do they provide?
• How extensive is their network?
• Do they have the necessary documentation and certifications?
• What is their risk management process?
• How good is their customer service?
• How much is their charge?

Now it’s time to decide the shipping mode. For small packages, you can use express shipping or air freight. If you can afford the time, we will suggest using sea freight as that is the cheapest method of shipping from China to India.

Indian customs policy is very complicated and strict compared to many other countries. So, you have to hire a customs broker in India to assist you through the process. Some freight forwarders provide this service. At Winsky freight, we provide a customs clearance service for DDP shipping.

If everything is done properly, the last step is to collect your goods from India. If you use door to door or express shipping, you don’t have to do that. In that case, they will deliver the goods to your doorstep.

Do not forget to add inland transport costs when calculating how much shipping cost from China to India will be for your goods.

Shipping costs from China to India vary for various methods. Air freight costs are higher than sea shipping. So, pick air freight if you are shipping a small number of goods. Otherwise, pick sea freight to reduce your shipping costs in India. There are some other things you can consider:

• Use experts in packing your goods. Packaging can reduce your shipping costs by a great deal.
• Ask for a quotation from various freight forwarders and compare.
• Look for discounts.
• Negotiate with your freight forwarder to reduce the cost.
• Maintain a long-term relationship with a freight forwarder because freight forwarders offer discounts for regular customers.

If you are not shipping a huge quantity this is a great shipping option. Express shipping from China to India is fast, reliable and you can receive your goods at your home or office.

Here are some of the largest companies that offer express shipping from China to India:

• UPS
• DHL
• FedEx
• TNT

Door-to-door shipping from China to India is a very flexible shipping process, just like express shipping. And yes, this shipping mode is available in India.

Door to door is similar to express shipping. But here, you have the liberty to choose the shipping method. So, you can use air or sea freight for your door to door shipping method.

China and India both countries have lots of Airports that are capable of transporting and receiving goods.

• Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport
• Chennai International Airport
• Mumbai International Airport
• Bengaluru Kempegowda International Airport
• Rajiv Gandhi International Airport
• Kolkata Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport
• Goa International Airport

• Beijing Capital Airport
• Shanghai Pudong Airport
• Shanghai Hongqiao Airport
• Hong Kong Airport
• Xian Xianyang Airport
• Kunming Changshui Airport
• Guangzhou Baiyun Airport
• Shenzhen Baoan Airport
• Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport
• Hulunbuir Dongshan Airport
• Chengdu Shuangliu Airport

Most shipping between China and India happens via sea route. So, both the countries have lots of seaports. Here are some of them:

• Jawaharlal Nehru Port Maharastra
• Port of Mundra
• Port of Chennai
• Port of Kolkata
• O. Chidambaranar Port
• Port of Kandla
• Port of Mumbai
• Port of Vishakapatnam
• Port of Cochin
• Port of Hazira

• Port of Shanghai
• Port of Dalian
• Port of Tianjin
• Port of Guangzhou
• Port of Hong Kong
• Port of Xiamen
• Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan
• Port of Yingkou
• Port of Shenzhen
• Port of Qingdao

There are some items you CAN NOT import in India. If you import one of those and capture it by Indian customs, you can face some serious legal consequences. Some of them are:

• psychotropic medicines
• Narcotic drugs
• Pornographic material
• Antiquities
• Live plants
• Counterfeits
• Duplicate currency
• Politically sensitive literature
• Aero models
• Walkie talkies

And other items that are prohibited by Indian customs.

Firstly you must have the IEC registration number to import from China. Other than that number, you need some other documents to clear your shipment from Indian customs. Here they are

• Bill of lading/Airway Bill
• Letter of credit
• Packing list
• Commercial invoice
• Industrial license if needed
• Certificate of origin
• Import declaration form for Customs

It is quite unlikely that Indian customs will confiscate your shipment unless you fail to provide proper documents or customs duties and charges. But if that happens, you have nothing to do. They will contact you, and you have to face them to solve whatever the issue is.

That’s why you should hire an experienced company to handle your customs clearance process in India.

Shipping from China to India is a complicated process and experience plays a big role here. We have been operating in the Indian market for more than a decade. We have a dedicated team to handle our customers in India.

Our clients in India never face any hassle with their products in India. We ensure the fastest delivery.

In addition, we have a contract with all the top shipping carriers operating between these two countries. That helps us to offer a reduced price than many other freight forwarders in China.

A dedicated team, product-specific experts to handle your goods, and an efficient customs department made us one of the famous freight forwarders in India.

If you have been looking for a cheap shipping solution from China to India, we hope this guide has provided you with all the basic information. If you want to know more or have a shipping project contact us now, and one of our Indian shipping experts will contact you soon.