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Europe & Central Asia · DE

India Germany

India exported USD 10.23 bn to Germany in 2024, led by HS 85, and imported USD 17.96 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
  • CapitalBerlin
  • AccessCoastal
Get a quote for Germany How exporting works
  • Road
  • Sea
  • Air
  1. Road leg in India to the gateway, SSL fleet · Road
  2. Sea leg to Germany · Sea
  3. Air leg to Germany · Air

Road in India, then sea or air onward

Exports from India
USD 10.23 bn
Imports into India
USD 17.96 bn
Trade partner rank
#8

Happiness, on this lane, is the buyer in Berlin 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
German
Capital
Berlin
Time
−4h30 to −3h30 vs ISTUTC+01:00, UTC+02:00
Access
Coastal
Trade partner rank
#82.49% 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 Germany

USD 10.23 bnIndia's exports to Germany, 2024 (FOB)
2.36%of India's exports to the world
USD 28.19 bntwo-way trade, 2024
India's top exports to Germany, 2024
  1. HS 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof USD 1.52 bn15%
  2. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 1.41 bn14%
  3. HS 29 Organic chemicals USD 733.7 mn7%
  4. HS 87 Vehicles USD 584.7 mn6%
  5. HS 61 Apparel and clothing accessories USD 478.0 mn5%

Gateways in Germany

Seaports: Hamburg (DEHAM) · Bremerhaven (DEBRV)

Airports: Frankfurt (FRA) · Leipzig/Halle (LEJ) · Munich (MUC)

Editor-curated main cargo gateways (VERIFY). Direct service from India NOT verified.

Transit time

Nhava Sheva (INNSA) → Hamburg (DEHAM): 27-33 days by sea (FCL), port to port. published freight-estimator ranges, port to port, routing-dependent (Suez vs Cape). Sources: searates.com, fluentcargo.com

Trade lane: Nhava Sheva → Hamburg →

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 Germany to India

USD 17.96 bnIndia's imports from Germany, 2024 (CIF)
64%of the two-way trade is India buying
India's top imports from Germany, 2024
  1. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 5.29 bn29%
  2. HS 88 Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof USD 1.88 bn11%
  3. HS 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof USD 1.78 bn10%
  4. HS 90 Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, medical… USD 1.63 bn9%
  5. HS 87 Vehicles USD 1.09 bn6%

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 Germany. Guide →
HS code
Classify every line under the HS nomenclature; India's largest export chapter to Germany in 2024 was HS 85. 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 Germany

Does India have a free trade agreement with Germany?
Not in force yet. India-EU FTA is concluded not in force. Until it is in force, trade with Germany runs at normal (MFN) duty rates. Source: India Briefing FTA tracker, 2026.
What does India export to Germany?
India exported USD 10.23 bn of goods to Germany in 2024. The largest chapters were HS 85 electrical machinery and equipment and… (USD 1.52 bn), HS 84 machinery and mechanical appliances, bo… (USD 1.41 bn), HS 29 organic chemicals (USD 733.7 mn). That is 2.36% of India's exports to the world. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024, exports FOB.
What does India import from Germany?
India imported USD 17.96 bn from Germany in 2024, mainly HS 84 machinery and mechanical appliances, bo… (USD 5.29 bn), HS 88 aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof (USD 1.88 bn), HS 85 electrical machinery and equipment and… (USD 1.78 bn). 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-Germany trade?
Two-way goods trade between India and Germany was USD 28.19 bn in 2024, 2.49% of India's total, which ranks Germany number 8 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 Germany take?
Nhava Sheva (INNSA) to Hamburg (DEHAM) by sea (FCL) takes about 27-33 days port to port, based on published freight-estimator ranges, port to port, routing-dependent (Suez vs Cape). Add the road leg to the Indian port and clearance at both ends. Sources: searates.com, fluentcargo.com, 2026.
What certificate of origin do I need to export to Germany?
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 Germany?
Berlin 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 Germany 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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