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South Asia · BD

India Bangladesh

India exported USD 11.32 bn to Bangladesh in 2024, led by HS 52, and imported USD 1.86 bn. Here are the documents, the gateways and how SSL moves your cargo on the India side.

  • AgreementSouth Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA)
  • AgreementAsia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA)
  • CurrencyBDT ৳
  • Time+0h30 vs IST
  • CapitalDhaka
  • AccessLand border with India
Get a quote for Bangladesh How exporting works
  • Road
  1. Road: India to Bangladesh, SSL trucks · Road

Road: occasional loads, confirm first

Exports from India
USD 11.32 bn
Imports into India
USD 1.86 bn
Trade partner rank
#23

Happiness, on this lane, is the buyer in Dhaka whose goods arrive on the promised day, and the shipper in India who never has to chase.

At a glance

Region
South AsiaSouthern Asia
Income group
Lower middle incomeWorld Bank
Currency
BDTBangladeshi taka
Languages
Bengali
Capital
Dhaka
Time
+0h30 vs ISTUTC+06:00
Access
Land border with India
Trade partner rank
#231.16% of India's trade

Trade agreements: Preferential access under: South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA); Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA). Sources: World Bank country classification; ISO 4217 and languages via mledoze/countries; IANA time zones; agreements per India Briefing FTA tracker and Invest India.

Ship from India to Bangladesh

USD 11.32 bnIndia's exports to Bangladesh, 2024 (FOB)
2.61%of India's exports to the world
USD 13.18 bntwo-way trade, 2024
India's top exports to Bangladesh, 2024
  1. HS 52 Cotton USD 2.70 bn24%
  2. HS 27 Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation USD 2.39 bn21%
  3. HS 87 Vehicles USD 621.7 mn6%
  4. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 506.4 mn5%
  5. HS 23 Food industries, residues and wastes thereof USD 456.3 mn4%

Gateways in Bangladesh

Seaports: Chattogram (Chittagong) (BDCGP) · Mongla (BDMGL)

Airports: Shah Amanat International Airport (CGP) · Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (DAC) · Osmany International Airport (ZYL)

OurAirports: large (else medium) airports with scheduled service and an IATA code. Direct service from India NOT verified.

Transit time

No public port-to-port benchmark is published here yet. We do not guess one: our desk gives you the current sailing or flight time with the quote.

Source: UN Comtrade, 2024. India as reporter; exports FOB, imports CIF; general trade, all modes; HS 2022 (H6) chapters. Retrieved 29 Sep 2026.

Import from Bangladesh to India

USD 1.86 bnIndia's imports from Bangladesh, 2024 (CIF)
14%of the two-way trade is India buying
India's top imports from Bangladesh, 2024
  1. HS 62 Apparel and clothing accessories USD 421.6 mn23%
  2. HS 61 Apparel and clothing accessories USD 222.6 mn12%
  3. HS 53 Vegetable textile fibres USD 189.8 mn10%
  4. HS 63 Textiles, made up articles USD 138.2 mn7%
  5. HS 15 Animal, vegetable or microbial fats and oils and their cleavage produ… USD 113.4 mn6%

On arrival in India the importer files a bill of entry on ICEGATE; customs assesses basic customs duty, the social welfare surcharge and IGST on the assessable value. To pay the lower rate under South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) or Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA), the importer must hold origin proof and answer CAROTAR 2020 origin checks. Read the import guide →

How SSL moves it

Road: occasional loads, confirm first

India leg: occasional border loads

SSL has run occasional loads to the border. Confirm the lane with us before booking.

Land crossing: Petrapole (IN) and Benapole (BD) ICP. DGFT Notification 07/2025-26 (17 May 2025): ready-made garments from Bangladesh may enter India only via Kolkata and Nhava Sheva seaports; several other goods barred from specified land ports. Transit cargo for Nepal/Bhutan exempt.

International leg. The international sea or air leg is arranged by our desk, and our desk arranges customs clearance.

Ask our desk for a quote Email the desk

Outside India? Email (corporatesales@sslpl.in) is the easiest way for our desk to reply across time zones. WhatsApp +91 75062 45557 works too.

Documents

General guidance: verify every shipment with your customs broker and the current DGFT and CBIC notifications.

IEC
An Importer-Exporter Code from DGFT is needed for any commercial shipment to or from Bangladesh. Guide →
HS code
Classify every line under the HS nomenclature; India's largest export chapter to Bangladesh in 2024 was HS 52. The 8-digit ITC(HS) code goes on the shipping bill. Guide →
Incoterms
State one Incoterms 2020 rule on the invoice. FOB or CIF suit a port-to-port sea leg; FCA or CPT suit containers handed over inland. Guide →
Certificate of origin
Preferential CoO available under: South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA); Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) Guide →

Restriction on this lane: DGFT Notification 07/2025-26 (17 May 2025): ready-made garments from Bangladesh may enter India only via Kolkata and Nhava Sheva seaports; several other goods barred from specified land ports. Transit cargo for Nepal/Bhutan exempt.

Questions about shipping between India and Bangladesh

Does India have a free trade agreement with Bangladesh?
Yes. Goods can qualify for preferential duty under South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) and Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA), provided they meet the rules of origin and carry a preferential certificate of origin. Source: India Briefing FTA tracker / Invest India, 2026.
What does India export to Bangladesh?
India exported USD 11.32 bn of goods to Bangladesh in 2024. The largest chapters were HS 52 cotton (USD 2.70 bn), HS 27 mineral fuels, mineral oils and product… (USD 2.39 bn), HS 87 vehicles (USD 621.7 mn). That is 2.61% of India's exports to the world. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024, exports FOB.
What does India import from Bangladesh?
India imported USD 1.86 bn from Bangladesh in 2024, mainly HS 62 apparel and clothing accessories (USD 421.6 mn), HS 61 apparel and clothing accessories (USD 222.6 mn), HS 53 vegetable textile fibres (USD 189.8 mn). To claim a lower agreement rate on these goods, the importer needs origin proof under CAROTAR 2020. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024, imports CIF.
How big is India-Bangladesh trade?
Two-way goods trade between India and Bangladesh was USD 13.18 bn in 2024, 1.16% of India's total, which ranks Bangladesh number 23 among India's trading partners. India exports more than it imports on this lane. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024.
How long does shipping from India to Bangladesh take?
No public port-to-port benchmark for India to Bangladesh is published on this page yet. Our desk confirms the current sailing or flight time for your cargo when it quotes. Source: SSL global dataset, 29 Sep 2026.
What certificate of origin do I need to export to Bangladesh?
A preferential certificate of origin under South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) lets the buyer in Bangladesh claim the lower duty; both kinds are issued through the DGFT e-CoO platform (coo.dgft.gov.in). Check the buyer's letter of credit or import rules for the exact form. Source: DGFT, 2026.
Can I send goods from India to Bangladesh by road?
Yes, with restrictions. The main crossing is Petrapole (IN) and Benapole (BD) ICP. DGFT Notification 07/2025-26 (17 May 2025): ready-made garments from Bangladesh may enter India only via Kolkata and Nhava Sheva seaports; several other goods barred from specified land ports. Transit cargo for Nepal/Bhutan exempt.
What is the time difference between India and Bangladesh?
Dhaka runs at UTC+06:00 in 2026, which is +0h30 vs IST. Plan calls and cut-offs with our desk in IST; we reply by email across time zones. Source: IANA time-zone database, 2026.
Does Safe & Secure Logistics clear customs for Bangladesh shipments?
Yes. Our desk arranges clearance for your shipment, or works with your own broker, while SSL's fleet runs the road leg in India. Our desk shares the operator's licence and documents for your shipment on request. Source: SSL site facts, 29 Sep 2026.

Keep exploring

Data: UN Comtrade 2024 · retrieved 29 Sep 2026. Company figures appear only where sourced from SSL's own register.

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