Europe & Central Asia · FR

India and France

India exported USD 7.71 bn to France in 2024, led by HS 27, and imported USD 5.82 bn. Here are the documents, the gateways and how SSL moves your cargo on the India side.

  • AgreementIndia-EU FTA: concluded not in force
  • CurrencyEUR €
  • Time−4h30 to −3h30 vs IST
  • CapitalParis
  • AccessCoastal
  • Road
  • Sea
  • Air
  1. Road leg in India to the gateway, SSL fleet · Road
  2. Sea leg to France · Sea
  3. Air leg to France · Air

Road in India, then sea or air onward

Exports from India
USD 7.71 bn
Imports into India
USD 5.82 bn
Trade partner rank
#22

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

At a glance

Region
Europe & Central AsiaWestern Europe
Income group
High incomeWorld Bank
Currency
EUREuro
Languages
French
Capital
Paris
Time
−4h30 to −3h30 vs ISTUTC+01:00, UTC+02:00
Access
Coastal
Trade partner rank
#221.19% of India's trade

Trade agreements: No India trade agreement in force (MFN terms; check GSTP separately). · India-EU FTA: concluded not in force. 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 France

USD 7.71 bnIndia's exports to France, 2024 (FOB)
1.77%of India's exports to the world
USD 13.53 bntwo-way trade, 2024
India's top exports to France, 2024
  1. HS 27 Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation USD 1.30 bn17%
  2. HS 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof USD 840.7 mn11%
  3. HS 88 Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof USD 624.1 mn8%
  4. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 590.5 mn8%
  5. HS 30 Pharmaceutical products USD 588.2 mn8%

Gateways in France

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

Airports: Not ranked in our source (no traffic data). Our desk confirms the cargo airport.

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 France to India

USD 5.82 bnIndia's imports from France, 2024 (CIF)
43%of the two-way trade is India buying
India's top imports from France, 2024
  1. HS 88 Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof USD 1.39 bn24%
  2. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 1.20 bn21%
  3. HS 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof USD 595.4 mn10%
  4. HS 90 Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, medical… USD 401.7 mn7%
  5. HS 39 Plastics and articles thereof USD 263.5 mn5%

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.

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 France. Guide →
HS code
Classify every line under the HS nomenclature; India's largest export chapter to France in 2024 was HS 27. 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 France

Does India have a free trade agreement with France?
Not in force yet. India-EU FTA is concluded not in force. Until it is in force, trade with France runs at normal (MFN) duty rates. Source: India Briefing FTA tracker, 2026.
What does India export to France?
India exported USD 7.71 bn of goods to France in 2024. The largest chapters were HS 27 mineral fuels, mineral oils and product… (USD 1.30 bn), HS 85 electrical machinery and equipment and… (USD 840.7 mn), HS 88 aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof (USD 624.1 mn). That is 1.77% of India's exports to the world. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024, exports FOB.
What does India import from France?
India imported USD 5.82 bn from France in 2024, mainly HS 88 aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof (USD 1.39 bn), HS 84 machinery and mechanical appliances, bo… (USD 1.20 bn), HS 85 electrical machinery and equipment and… (USD 595.4 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-France trade?
Two-way goods trade between India and France was USD 13.53 bn in 2024, 1.19% of India's total, which ranks France number 22 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 France take?
No public port-to-port benchmark for India to France 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 France?
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 France?
Paris 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 France 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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