Freight Forwarder from China to India
As trade between China and India continues to expand, businesses of all sizes rely on dependable logistics to stay competitive. Bansar provides end-to-end shipping services from major Chinese cities like Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou to Indian hubs such as Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, and more. Whether you’re shipping to a warehouse, retail outlet, private address, or Amazon FBA center, we’ve got you covered.
Bansar provides a variety of shipping options from China to India, including full and less-than-container sea freight, fast air cargo, and convenient door-to-door services. You can choose port-to-port, door-to-port, or door-to-door based on your cargo’s weight, volume, and urgency. With years of experience in the China–India trade route, Bansar ensures a smooth, reliable freight forwarding experience tailored to your needs.
Ready to start shipping from China to India? Contact Bansar today for a free quote and let us handle the logistics, so you can focus on growing your business.
Shipping Methods from China to India
We offer flexible shipping options to India, tailored to meet your delivery time, cargo type, and budget.
When speed is crucial, air freight provides a faster delivery option for urgent or valuable cargo. We offer reliable air cargo services from major airports in China, such as PVG, PEK, and CAN, to key Indian airports including Delhi (DEL), Mumbai (BOM), and Bangalore (BLR).
Shipping by sea remains the cheapest option for transporting large volumes or heavy goods. We provide both FCL (Full Container Load) and LCL (Less than Container Load) services from major Chinese ports like Shanghai, Ningbo, and Shenzhen to key Indian ports such as Nhava Sheva (Mumbai), Chennai, and Mundra.
Our door-to-door service handles every step of your shipment from collecting goods at your supplier’s site in China to delivering them straight to your doorstep in India. We manage customs clearance and documentation for both DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) and DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid) shipments, making the entire process seamless and worry-free.
Value-Added Services for Shipping from China to India
As a trusted China–India freight forwarder, we offer full support beyond basic cargo delivery.
We can collect goods from any supplier or warehouse across China and arrange delivery to your designated location in India: factory, warehouse, Amazon FBA center, or retail point.
Our secure warehouses in major Chinese cities support short-term storage, inventory management, order consolidation, and scheduled dispatch, helping streamline your logistics chain.
For e-commerce and Amazon sellers shipping goods to India, we provide labeling, repacking, palletizing, and barcode printing services that meet customs and marketplace standards.
Our experienced team prepares and submits all required shipping documents, handling export clearance in China and import procedures in India to avoid unnecessary delays at customs.
Protect your goods against loss or damage in transit. We offer affordable cargo insurance solutions, ideal for high-value shipments via air freight or bulk containers via sea freight.
Our freight tracking tools help you monitor your China to India cargo at every stage from departure at the origin port to final delivery in India.
Why Choose Bansar
Our team has over 10 years of hands-on experience in managing China–India freight and international shipping.
We offer sea, air, and door-to-door delivery services tailored to match your cargo needs, timeline, and budget.
Our established network of major shipping lines, airlines, customs brokers, and local agents in both China and India helps ensure smooth cargo movement and timely delivery.
We provide transparent pricing on all China–India shipments, so you know exactly what you’re paying with no hidden fees.
Our customs specialists handle clearance procedures swiftly and accurately on both ends, helping you avoid unnecessary delays.
Our logistics experts are available 24/7 to provide updates, solve issues, and guide you through the entire shipping process.
Popular Goods Shipped from China to India
Many Indian importers source a wide range of products from China to support retail, industrial, and e-commerce operations. These goods cover both consumer and commercial categories.
- Electronic devices and components: phones, accessories, circuit boards
- Industrial machinery and tools: construction equipment, generators, CNC parts
- Home furniture and bedding: sofas, mattresses, kitchen cabinets
- Recreational goods: toys, sporting equipment, outdoor gear
Our shipping solutions are designed to handle these product types safely and efficiently, no matter the scale of your import business.
Main Shipping Routes from China to India
To support growing trade between the two countries, we offer well-planned shipping routes that connect China’s major logistics hubs with key destinations across India. The mode of transport depends on your timeline, cargo type, and budget.
- Sea Freight Routes
We offer sea freight services linking major Chinese ports, including Shanghai, Ningbo, and Shenzhen, with important Indian ports like Nhava Sheva (Mumbai), Chennai, and Mundra. These routes traverse the South China Sea and the Strait of Malacca, providing the most cost-effective solution for transporting heavy or bulk shipments.
- Air Freight Routes
For faster transit, we offer direct air cargo services from Shanghai Pudong, Shenzhen Bao’an, and Guangzhou Baiyun to Indian airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai, ideal for high-value or time-sensitive goods.
With each shipping method, we coordinate every step to ensure your cargo reaches India smoothly and on schedule.
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“Honestly, I was a bit nervous since it was my first time shipping from China. But Bansar made everything easy. They explained each step, handled all the paperwork, and kept me updated through WhatsApp. My cargo reached Mumbai two days earlier than expected.”
Amit, Clothing Wholesaler, Mumbai -
“We had to restock urgently before Diwali and switched to air freight last minute. Bansar got everything sorted from Guangzhou to Delhi in just 3 days. They even cleared customs faster than I expected. Super reliable team.”
Ravi, E-commerce Seller, Delhi -
“What impressed me was how hands-on the Bansar team was. I had goods from two suppliers in Shenzhen and Yiwu—they consolidated, repacked, and shipped everything in one FCL to Chennai. They even sent photos from the warehouse. Really solid service.”
Vikash, Equipment Buyer, Chennai -
“I run a small store, not a big importer, and Bansar treated me like a priority. They picked up my boxes from the factory, cleared customs, and delivered them right to my shop in Bangalore. Door-to-door really means door-to-door with them.”
Meera, Home Goods Shop Owner, Bangalore
Shipping from China to India is a relatively complex process compared to other countries due to India’s strict customs regulations.
To ensure a smooth experience, it’s important to understand the different requirements, from documentation to duties and shipping methods. So, you can avoid delays and extra costs at customs. Here is the complete guide for you.
Step-by-Step Process For Shipping From China To India
By following the given procedure, you can easily import your inventory into India. The only thing to ensure is to complete all the documentation on time for your timely delivery.
1. Select Your Product
First and foremost, and the most important step of any business is choosing what they want to import to India for their trade. The product is the soul of every business and if you select it wrong, you will only face loss. Therefore doing market analysis and research is necessary before initiating any startup.
In addition, for stable growth, you have to understand the trends and dynamics of the Indian market. You can get assistance from professionals for your product research. They will guide you better to make the right decision in this regard.
2. Find Your Chinese Supplier
After determining what will be the product, now you have to find an affordable supplier or manufacturer. The Chinese market is the main hub that connects suppliers with businesses. You can find a reliable supplier of your goods on Made-in-China, Global Source, Aliexpress, and Alibaba type platforms.
Another thing that will help you throughout the process is your negotiation skills. You have to clearly tell your requirements about products to your supplier and discuss the prices according to that. This will help you maintain long-term and healthy business relations.
3. Decide International Commercial Terms
For shipping from China to India, you should know about these terms, also known as “Incoterms”. This is the type of agreement between the buyer and seller of goods. It will decide who will do the shipping and clear customs. In addition, it also specifies who will cover the freight and insurance costs for importing shipments from China to India.
There are a total of eleven incoterms. Some are specific for ocean freight, while some are applied for all types of shipping. Here are the most famous incoterms for your Indian imports.
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EXW
EXW is the compact form of “Ex Works”. If you have decided to work under this contract as a buyer, you need to fulfill the maximum shipping responsibilities. Because the seller will only provide goods and you have to collect them from their store or another agreed place in China.
After that, all the customs, freight, and insurance duties are upon you until the inventory reaches India.
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FOB
It refers to the “Free On Board” agreement which is divided into two categories. One is FOB origin and the other is FOB destination. In the prior contract, your responsibilities start from the point of origin which is the seller’s place or Chinese port.
Whereas, in the latter, the seller will pay for everything until your products arrive at the destination port in India and your role starts from here.
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DDP
Delivered Duty Paid is the full form of DDP incoterm. If you made this contract with your supplier, you only have to pay for your goods and wait for your shipment from China. Your seller will deliver your items to your place in India and clear customs taxes on both sides.
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CIF
Cost, Insurance, and Freight (CIF) assigns most responsibilities to the seller, with fewer obligations for the buyer. The seller has to pay for insurance and shipping goods to India.
He or she is also responsible for clearing customs at the exporting point of China. To sum up, the supplier’s duty ends once the cargo approaches the importing site of India. After that, you have to manage unloading, clearing import customs, and local transportation.
4. Prepare Required Documents
Once your shipment is ready, you have to prepare all the documents necessary for customs declaration in China and India. The common papers for import and export clearance include:
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of entry
- Letter of credit
- Bill of lading
- Packing list
- Certificate of origin
- Insurance certificate (if goods are insured)
- Import license
Furthermore, there is one thing that is only necessary for passing Indian Customs.
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Importer Exporter Code (IEC)
For moving cargo to India, the importer of your goods must have an IEC number. It is the Importer Exporter Code that consists of 10 digits. Without this, you can’t ship your goods to India. To get it, you need to apply for your IEC at DGFT.
You are required to submit account statements, PAN card information, and details of your business partners for this. After verification, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) will issue the code to you.
At this step, you can also hire a shipping agent or agency like Bansar to complete your documentation. On the other hand, it’s time to choose the right shipping method. Because now you have to transport your cargo to the exporting location of China. It depends on what you select, whether it’s airport, rail station, or seaport.
5. Export Clearance At Chinese Port
Before your goods leave China, they have to pass through strict inspection. Moreover, you have to pay a fee to the customs department, value-added tax which is 13%, and some other duties. These duties applied to some types of items, especially agricultural products.
After passing through this, now you can load your cargo onto the exporting vehicle. During the shipping journey, you can track your cargo to get an idea of how much time it takes to reach India.
6. Estimating Import Customs Duties
Indian customs authorities impose various duties and taxes on imported goods. There is no free trade agreement between both countries, therefore, standard duty rates are applied. The following are the four primary duties and taxes you need to pay to gain cargo entry to India.
- Basic Customs Duty is applied to all types of imports. The table shows the range of duties on common Indian imports from China.
| Classification of Goods | Applied Customs Duty |
| Plastics | 10% to 15% |
| Textile products | 10% to 15% |
| Automobiles and its parts | 15% to 30% |
| Electronic devices | 10% to 20% |
| Furniture | 20% to 25% |
| Chemicals and medicinal products | 5% to 10% |
| Sports items and Toys | 20% |
- Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) is decided according to the value of goods (HS code), typically ranging from 0 to 28%.
- Social Welfare Surcharge is 10% of the total amount of duties, taxes, and other charges applied on imported items.
- The Customs Handling Fee is 1% of the value of imports plus the imposed customs duty.
Additionally, some other taxes are applied in special circumstances. These conditions can negatively impact the local economy of the country. Therefore, these duties are imposed to protect the economy from potential harm. These are:
- Safeguard Duty
- Anti Dumping Duty
- GST Compensation Cess
If you want to keep away from the headache of dealing with Indian customs, we are here for you. As a professional freight forwarding company, Bansarship will complete this task efficiently without delays.
7. Pick up Your Goods From Drop-off Port
After all the efforts and hardships, you can finally take your shipment from the importing site of India. Now you can transport your goods wherever you want. It may be your inventory storage space in any Indian city, or Amazon or eBay warehouses.
Methods To Ship From China To India
Choosing the right shipping option is important for your business. Because it will help in maintaining your budget and make your customers satisfied at the same time. So, here are the following ways for cargo shipping from China to India.
Ocean Shipping
Shipping your goods through sea is the cheapest way of delivering your cargo to India from China. Now you are thinking, is this best for your business or not? Am I right? Well, the answer lies in front of you, that’s your products and their dimensions. On top of that, your budget and urgency are the primary factors in considering ocean freight.
Through this way of shipping, your goods are packed in containers and then loaded onto the ship. Now, there are two ocean shipping modes, FCL and LCL, you have to select one from these.
- Full Container Load-FCL: In this mode, a full container is dedicated to your consignment only. This container may be 20-foot or 40-foot, depending on the size of your shipment. It is the safest option for sea freight.
- Less than Container Load-LCL: It is cheaper than FCL because this mode provides your cargo with mutual space in containers. However, it is not as safe as FCL due to the involvement of third-party cargo.
Rail Freight
Shipping through rail is not as cheap as ocean freight, but it offers faster delivery. You will get your products earlier than sea shipping. Moreover, the same two modes, LCL and FCL, are available in rail freight.
You can transport every category of product through this method. It is also a safer way of shipping from China to India than the above method.
Air Shipping
Air freight is the most expensive way to import your packages to India. However, its speedy delivery compensates for its high cost. You will have your items in India from China within 4 to 8 working days.
On the other hand, there are cargo and weight limitations to consider, especially dangerous and explosive goods that can’t be transported by air.
You can ship jewelry, fruits, fish, semiconductors, and time-sensitive goods to India. On the other hand, major airlines of China and India allow air cargo within the range of 100 to 500 kg.
Express Shipping
As the name shows, express delivery is way faster than air freight. This method of shipping is also known as expedited transport. Within 1 to 4 business days, you have access to your inventory at the Indian airport. The same restrictions on goods and weight as in air freight apply to this method of importing goods between both countries.
Door-to-Door Shipping
It is the most convenient way to get your shipment from a Chinese supplier to your place in India. Also known as house-to-house delivery, it frees you from the complex process of importing goods from China to India.
Since clearing customs in India is more challenging than in any other country, this approach lets you avoid dealing with it directly. We at Bansar, as your freight forwarder, will do everything in door-to-door delivery to supply your goods to you.
It includes picking from your Chinese seller, reaching the exporting site, declaring Chinese customs, shipping, again declaring Indian customs, and then delivering at your place.
Cost of Shipping From China To India
Your chosen shipping option decides how much it costs to ship cargo from China to India. Furthermore, the dimensions and weight of your goods are the key factors that affect the charges for importing goods to India. The table shows the estimated shipping charges for your goods.
| Shipping Types | Shipping Charges |
| Air Freight | $2.5 to $8 per kg |
| Ocean Freight-FCL | $600 to $1500 for 20’ container |
| $1500 to $2500 for a 40’ container | |
| Ocean Freight-LCL | $30 to $65 per cubic meter |
| Rail Freight | $0.5 to $1 per kg |
| $2500 to $4500 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) | |
| Express Shipping | $5 to $12 per kg |
| Door-to-Door Delivery | $8 to $15 per kg |
| $150 to $200 per cubic meter |
Main Seaports and Airports of China & India
The following are the main ports and airplane locations used for doing trade between India and China.
Chinese Seaports
- Tianjin seaport occupies 26,000 hectares of area consisting of 217 berths. It is the busiest port in north China, also known by the name “Tanggu Port”.
- The Port of Nansha is present in southern China. It is a deep-water port with an annual container traffic of more than 25 million TEUs.
- Shanghai Port is the major seaport for transporting goods to India. Annually, it deals with approximately 43 million TEU containers.
The following are other main seaports of China for moving cargo to India:
- Seaport of Ningbo
- Shenzhen Port
- Ningbo-Zhoushan Port
- Port of Dalian
- Fuzhou Port
- Port of Jiujiang
- Haikou Port
Indian Seaports
- Kolkata Port consists of a 4,500-acre area with 86 wharves. It is located in West Bengal and functions as a multipurpose port. It can handle up to 67.34 million tonnes of goods every year.
- Port of Mundra is one of the busiest seaports of India accommodating up to 155 million tonnes of cargo.
- Chennai Port is positioned as the second-largest seaport of the country in terms of container traffic. It deals with over 51 million tonnes of goods yearly.
Below are the other prominent Indian ports for importing from China to India:
- Mumbai Port
- Visakhapatnam
- Mormugao Port
- Nhava Sheva
- New Mangalore Port
- Jawaharlal Nehru Port
- Kandla
Major Chinese Airports
- Beijing International Capital Airport
- Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport
- Hong Kong International Airport
- Shanghai Pudong International Airport
- Xi’an Xianyang International Airport
- Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport
Major Indian Airports
- Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport
- Indira Gandhi International Airport
- Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport
- Kempegowda International Airport
- Rajiv Gandhi International Airport
- Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport
- Chennai International Airport
Approximate Time To Import From China To India
Well, the time duration to ship your products between these two countries depends on your chosen method. Although, sometimes the port congestion and peak seasons can cause shipment delays. Additionally, unexpected weather changes also slow down your freight to deliver goods to India.
Here is the estimated shipping duration for transporting goods from China to India.
| Shipping Types | Shipping Duration |
| Ocean Freight | 15 to 30 days |
| Rail Freight | 10 to 16 days |
| Air Freight | 4 to 8 days |
| Express Shipping | 1 to 4 days |
| Door-to-Door Delivery | 5 to 10 days |
Now we will see transit time from different Chinese locations to major Indian trade points by ocean shipping.
| Departure Point | Arrival Point | Shipping Duration (Days) |
|---|---|---|
| Port of Shanghai | Pipavav Port | 14 to 16 |
| Mumbai | 20 to 25 | |
| Nhava Sheva | 15 to 17 | |
| Chennai | 14 to 17 | |
| Calcutta | 17 to 21 | |
| Guangzhou Port | Chennai | 10 to 13 |
| Mumbai | 15 to 18 | |
| Calcutta | 12 to 15 | |
| Nhava Sheva | 12 to 15 | |
| Qingdao Port | Pipavav Port | 25 to 30 |
| Calcutta | 18 to 20 | |
| Nhava Sheva | 18 to 20 | |
| Port of Shenzhen | Pipavav Port | 9 to 15 |
| Mumbai | 15 to 18 | |
| Calcutta | 13 to 16 | |
| Nhava Sheva | 12 to 16 | |
| Chennai | 14 to 17 | |
| Tianjin Port | Pipavav Port | 25 to 30 |
| Calcutta | 20 to 23 | |
| Mumbai | 20 to 23 | |
| Nhava Sheva | 17 to 20 | |
| Chennai | 20 to 22 | |
| Ningbo Port | Pipavav Port | 18 to 21 |
| Mumbai | 20 to 24 | |
| Nhava Sheva | 13 to 15 | |
| Chennai | 16 to 19 | |
| Calcutta | 18 to 21 | |
| Port of Xiamen | Pipavav Port | 14 to 16 |
| Nhava Sheva | 15 to 17 | |
| Dalian Port | Nhava Sheva | 20 to 23 |
| Mumbai | 24 to 27 | |
| Chennai | 18 to 21 | |
| Calcutta | 21 to 24 | |
| Hong Kong | Mumbai | 14 to 18 |
| Fuzhou | 15 to 20 | |
| Nansha | 16 to 20 | |
| Chongqing | 15 to 18 | |
| Huangpu | 14 to 17 |
Shipping From China To India: Sea, Rail, Air & DDP Freight
Prohibited Products To Import To India
The following categories of products are strictly not allowed to cross Indian boundaries.
- Narcotics (pethidine, heroin, morphine, etc)
- Antiquities (ancient items)
- Skeleton of human
- Wild animals and plants and their related items
- Particular chemical materials
- Pirated property (Infringing items)
- Indian currency
- Obscene or explicit materials
- Maps and literature showing misleading external information about Indian boundaries
Alibaba Dropshipping From China To India
If you are facing a warehousing problem and don’t have enough investment for this, you should consider the dropshipping model. In this approach, you don’t even need to buy products in bulk to start your business in India. The thing you only need is an e-commerce store on which customers can place an order to you.
When an order is placed, visit Chinese platforms from where you get that item at cheap prices like Aliexpress. Now, place your order there using your customer’s address. They will directly send the item to the consumer. In this way, you can get the benefit from the business without so much investment and inventory management.
Moreover, if you want to work on the FBA model, you need a bit more investment. Because you have to buy mass products from China and ship them to Amazon warehouse in India. After that, they are responsible for inventory management and customer delivery.
Final Words
Whether you want Alibaba shipping to Amazon or directly to your store via sea, rail, or ocean, Bansar is always available for you. Our expert logistic team will ship your cargo from Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tianjin, or your preferred place to Nhava Sheva, Chennai, Mumbai, or any Indian city. Send us your shipping details and we’ll handle the rest!