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East Asia & Pacific · JP

India Japan

India exported USD 5.73 bn to Japan in 2024, led by HS 87, and imported USD 19.90 bn. Here are the documents, the gateways and how SSL moves your cargo on the India side.

  • AgreementIndia-Japan CEPA
  • CurrencyJPY ¥
  • Time+3h30 vs IST
  • CapitalTokyo
  • AccessCoastal
Get a quote for Japan How exporting works
  • Road
  • Sea
  • Air
  1. Road leg in India to the gateway, SSL fleet · Road
  2. Sea leg to Japan · Sea
  3. Air leg to Japan · Air

Road in India, then sea or air onward

Exports from India
USD 5.73 bn
Imports into India
USD 19.90 bn
Trade partner rank
#11

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

At a glance

Region
East Asia & PacificEastern Asia
Income group
High incomeWorld Bank
Currency
JPYJapanese yen
Languages
Japanese
Capital
Tokyo
Time
+3h30 vs ISTUTC+09:00
Access
Coastal
Trade partner rank
#112.26% of India's trade

Trade agreements: Preferential access under: India-Japan CEPA. 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 Japan

USD 5.73 bnIndia's exports to Japan, 2024 (FOB)
1.32%of India's exports to the world
USD 25.64 bntwo-way trade, 2024
India's top exports to Japan, 2024
  1. HS 87 Vehicles USD 899.7 mn16%
  2. HS 29 Organic chemicals USD 573.7 mn10%
  3. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 506.4 mn9%
  4. HS 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof USD 488.6 mn9%
  5. HS 38 Chemical products n.e.c. USD 449.1 mn8%

Gateways in Japan

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 Japan to India

USD 19.90 bnIndia's imports from Japan, 2024 (CIF)
78%of the two-way trade is India buying
India's top imports from Japan, 2024
  1. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 3.37 bn17%
  2. HS 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof USD 2.69 bn14%
  3. HS 28 Inorganic chemicals USD 2.21 bn11%
  4. HS 74 Copper and articles thereof USD 2.14 bn11%
  5. HS 72 Iron and steel USD 1.91 bn10%

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 India-Japan CEPA, the importer must hold origin proof and answer CAROTAR 2020 origin checks. 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 Japan. Guide →
HS code
Classify every line under the HS nomenclature; India's largest export chapter to Japan in 2024 was HS 87. 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: India-Japan CEPA Guide →

Questions about shipping between India and Japan

Does India have a free trade agreement with Japan?
Yes. Goods can qualify for preferential duty under India-Japan CEPA, 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 Japan?
India exported USD 5.73 bn of goods to Japan in 2024. The largest chapters were HS 87 vehicles (USD 899.7 mn), HS 29 organic chemicals (USD 573.7 mn), HS 84 machinery and mechanical appliances, bo… (USD 506.4 mn). That is 1.32% of India's exports to the world. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024, exports FOB.
What does India import from Japan?
India imported USD 19.90 bn from Japan in 2024, mainly HS 84 machinery and mechanical appliances, bo… (USD 3.37 bn), HS 85 electrical machinery and equipment and… (USD 2.69 bn), HS 28 inorganic chemicals (USD 2.21 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-Japan trade?
Two-way goods trade between India and Japan was USD 25.64 bn in 2024, 2.26% of India's total, which ranks Japan number 11 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 Japan take?
No public port-to-port benchmark for India to Japan 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 Japan?
A preferential certificate of origin under India-Japan CEPA lets the buyer in Japan 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.
What is the time difference between India and Japan?
Tokyo runs at UTC+09:00 in 2026, which is +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 Japan 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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