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Sub-Saharan Africa · KE

India Kenya

India exported USD 3.07 bn to Kenya in 2024, led by HS 27, and imported USD 178.9 mn. Here are the documents, the gateways and how SSL moves your cargo on the India side.

  • CurrencyKES Sh
  • Time−2h30 vs IST
  • CapitalNairobi
  • AccessCoastal
Get a quote for Kenya How exporting works
  • Road
  • Sea
  • Air
  1. Road leg in India to the gateway, SSL fleet · Road
  2. Sea leg to Kenya · Sea
  3. Air leg to Kenya · Air

Road in India, then sea or air onward

Exports from India
USD 3.07 bn
Imports into India
USD 178.9 mn
Trade partner rank
#50

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

At a glance

Region
Sub-Saharan AfricaEastern Africa
Income group
Lower middle incomeWorld Bank
Currency
KESKenyan shilling
Languages
English, Swahili
Capital
Nairobi
Time
−2h30 vs ISTUTC+03:00
Access
Coastal
Trade partner rank
#500.29% 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 Kenya

USD 3.07 bnIndia's exports to Kenya, 2024 (FOB)
0.71%of India's exports to the world
USD 3.25 bntwo-way trade, 2024
India's top exports to Kenya, 2024
  1. HS 27 Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation USD 824.5 mn27%
  2. HS 30 Pharmaceutical products USD 356.1 mn12%
  3. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 289.2 mn9%
  4. HS 10 Cereals USD 182.3 mn6%
  5. HS 39 Plastics and articles thereof USD 119.2 mn4%

Gateways in Kenya

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

Airports: Eldoret International Airport (EDL) · Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) · Kisumu International Airport (KIS) · Moi International Airport (MBA)

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 Kenya to India

USD 178.9 mnIndia's imports from Kenya, 2024 (CIF)
6%of the two-way trade is India buying
India's top imports from Kenya, 2024
  1. HS 07 Vegetables and certain roots and tubers USD 72.4 mn40%
  2. HS 09 Coffee, tea, mate and spices USD 38.0 mn21%
  3. HS 74 Copper and articles thereof USD 20.7 mn12%
  4. HS 28 Inorganic chemicals USD 17.7 mn10%
  5. HS 76 Aluminium and articles thereof USD 8.7 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.

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 Kenya. Guide →
HS code
Classify every line under the HS nomenclature; India's largest export chapter to Kenya 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 Kenya

Does India have a free trade agreement with Kenya?
No bilateral or regional agreement between India and Kenya 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 Kenya?
India exported USD 3.07 bn of goods to Kenya in 2024. The largest chapters were HS 27 mineral fuels, mineral oils and product… (USD 824.5 mn), HS 30 pharmaceutical products (USD 356.1 mn), HS 84 machinery and mechanical appliances, bo… (USD 289.2 mn). That is 0.71% of India's exports to the world. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024, exports FOB.
What does India import from Kenya?
India imported USD 178.9 mn from Kenya in 2024, mainly HS 07 vegetables and certain roots and tubers (USD 72.4 mn), HS 09 coffee, tea, mate and spices (USD 38.0 mn), HS 74 copper and articles thereof (USD 20.7 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-Kenya trade?
Two-way goods trade between India and Kenya was USD 3.25 bn in 2024, 0.29% of India's total, which ranks Kenya number 50 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 Kenya take?
No public port-to-port benchmark for India to Kenya 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 Kenya?
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 Kenya?
Nairobi runs at UTC+03:00 in 2026, which is −2h30 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 Kenya 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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