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Sub-Saharan Africa · BJ

India Benin

India exported USD 993.8 mn to Benin in 2024, led by HS 10, and imported USD 166.5 mn. Here are the documents, the gateways and how SSL moves your cargo on the India side.

  • CurrencyXOF Fr
  • Time−4h30 vs IST
  • CapitalPorto-Novo
  • AccessCoastal
Get a quote for Benin How exporting works
  • Road
  • Sea
  • Air
  1. Road leg in India to the gateway, SSL fleet · Road
  2. Sea leg to Benin · Sea
  3. Air leg to Benin · Air

Road in India, then sea or air onward

Exports from India
USD 993.8 mn
Imports into India
USD 166.5 mn
Trade partner rank
#76

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

At a glance

Region
Sub-Saharan AfricaWestern Africa
Income group
Lower middle incomeWorld Bank
Currency
XOFWest African CFA franc
Languages
French
Capital
Porto-Novo
Time
−4h30 vs ISTUTC+01:00
Access
Coastal
Trade partner rank
#760.10% of India's trade

Trade agreements: No India trade agreement in force (MFN terms; check GSTP separately).. 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 Benin

USD 993.8 mnIndia's exports to Benin, 2024 (FOB)
0.23%of India's exports to the world
USD 1.16 bntwo-way trade, 2024
India's top exports to Benin, 2024
  1. HS 10 Cereals USD 853.6 mn86%
  2. HS 30 Pharmaceutical products USD 25.4 mn3%
  3. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 24.0 mn2%
  4. HS 87 Vehicles USD 15.6 mn2%
  5. HS 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof USD 13.6 mn1%

Gateways in Benin

Seaports: Not yet sourced for this page. Our desk confirms the right port when it quotes.

Airports: Cotonou Cadjehoun International Airport (COO)

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 Benin to India

USD 166.5 mnIndia's imports from Benin, 2024 (CIF)
14%of the two-way trade is India buying
India's top imports from Benin, 2024
  1. HS 12 Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits USD 62.2 mn37%
  2. HS 44 Wood and articles of wood USD 30.6 mn18%
  3. HS 08 Fruit and nuts, edible USD 23.8 mn14%
  4. HS 15 Animal, vegetable or microbial fats and oils and their cleavage produ… USD 23.8 mn14%
  5. HS 23 Food industries, residues and wastes thereof USD 14.4 mn9%

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. No agreement rate is available, so the standard tariff applies. Read the import guide →

How SSL moves it

Road in India, then sea or air onward

India leg: by road to the Indian gateway

SSL's fleet moves your cargo by road to and from India's ports and airports.

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 Benin. Guide →
HS code
Classify every line under the HS nomenclature; India's largest export chapter to Benin in 2024 was HS 10. 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
Non-preferential CoO Guide →

Questions about shipping between India and Benin

Does India have a free trade agreement with Benin?
No bilateral or regional agreement between India and Benin is recorded in our sources, so goods move at normal (MFN) duty rates with a non-preferential certificate of origin. Source: Invest India / India Briefing FTA tracker, 2026.
What does India export to Benin?
India exported USD 993.8 mn of goods to Benin in 2024. The largest chapters were HS 10 cereals (USD 853.6 mn), HS 30 pharmaceutical products (USD 25.4 mn), HS 84 machinery and mechanical appliances, bo… (USD 24.0 mn). That is 0.23% of India's exports to the world. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024, exports FOB.
What does India import from Benin?
India imported USD 166.5 mn from Benin in 2024, mainly HS 12 oil seeds and oleaginous fruits (USD 62.2 mn), HS 44 wood and articles of wood (USD 30.6 mn), HS 08 fruit and nuts, edible (USD 23.8 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-Benin trade?
Two-way goods trade between India and Benin was USD 1.16 bn in 2024, 0.10% of India's total, which ranks Benin number 76 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 Benin take?
No public port-to-port benchmark for India to Benin 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 Benin?
A non-preferential certificate of origin is the usual document; 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.
What is the time difference between India and Benin?
Porto-Novo runs at UTC+01:00 in 2026, which is −4h30 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 Benin 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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