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Sub-Saharan Africa · CD

India DR Congo

India exported USD 543.7 mn to DR Congo in 2024, led by HS 30, and imported USD 863.9 mn. Here are the documents, the gateways and how SSL moves your cargo on the India side.

  • CurrencyCDF FC
  • Time−4h30 to −3h30 vs IST
  • CapitalKinshasa
  • AccessCoastal
Get a quote for DR Congo How exporting works
  • Road
  • Sea
  • Air
  1. Road leg in India to the gateway, SSL fleet · Road
  2. Sea leg to DR Congo · Sea
  3. Air leg to DR Congo · Air

Road in India, then sea or air onward

Exports from India
USD 543.7 mn
Imports into India
USD 863.9 mn
Trade partner rank
#68

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

At a glance

Region
Sub-Saharan AfricaMiddle Africa
Income group
Low incomeWorld Bank
Currency
CDFCongolese franc
Languages
French, Kikongo, Lingala+2 more
Capital
Kinshasa
Time
−4h30 to −3h30 vs ISTUTC+01:00, UTC+02:00
Access
Coastal
Trade partner rank
#680.12% 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 DR Congo

USD 543.7 mnIndia's exports to DR Congo, 2024 (FOB)
0.13%of India's exports to the world
USD 1.41 bntwo-way trade, 2024
India's top exports to DR Congo, 2024
  1. HS 30 Pharmaceutical products USD 150.0 mn28%
  2. HS 87 Vehicles USD 104.7 mn19%
  3. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 34.1 mn6%
  4. HS 39 Plastics and articles thereof USD 33.9 mn6%
  5. HS 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof USD 23.5 mn4%

Gateways in DR Congo

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

Airports: Ndjili International Airport (FIH) · Bangoka International Airport (FKI) · Goma International Airport (GOM) · Lubumbashi International Airport (FBM)

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 DR Congo to India

USD 863.9 mnIndia's imports from DR Congo, 2024 (CIF)
61%of the two-way trade is India buying
India's top imports from DR Congo, 2024
  1. HS 27 Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation USD 313.3 mn36%
  2. HS 71 Natural, cultured pearls USD 202.3 mn23%
  3. HS 74 Copper and articles thereof USD 178.7 mn21%
  4. HS 26 Ores, slag and ash USD 86.3 mn10%
  5. HS 18 Cocoa and cocoa preparations USD 70.1 mn8%

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 DR Congo. Guide →
HS code
Classify every line under the HS nomenclature; India's largest export chapter to DR Congo in 2024 was HS 30. 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 DR Congo

Does India have a free trade agreement with DR Congo?
No bilateral or regional agreement between India and DR Congo 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 DR Congo?
India exported USD 543.7 mn of goods to DR Congo in 2024. The largest chapters were HS 30 pharmaceutical products (USD 150.0 mn), HS 87 vehicles (USD 104.7 mn), HS 84 machinery and mechanical appliances, bo… (USD 34.1 mn). That is 0.13% of India's exports to the world. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024, exports FOB.
What does India import from DR Congo?
India imported USD 863.9 mn from DR Congo in 2024, mainly HS 27 mineral fuels, mineral oils and product… (USD 313.3 mn), HS 71 natural, cultured pearls (USD 202.3 mn), HS 74 copper and articles thereof (USD 178.7 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-DR Congo trade?
Two-way goods trade between India and DR Congo was USD 1.41 bn in 2024, 0.12% of India's total, which ranks DR Congo number 68 among India's trading partners. India imports more than it exports on this lane. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024.
How long does shipping from India to DR Congo take?
No public port-to-port benchmark for India to DR Congo 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 DR Congo?
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 DR Congo?
Kinshasa runs at UTC+01:00, UTC+02:00 in 2026, which is −4h30 to −3h30 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 DR Congo 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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