Search⌘K

Sub-Saharan Africa · MW

India Malawi

India exported USD 100.0 mn to Malawi in 2024, led by HS 30, and imported USD 78.9 mn. Here are the documents, the gateways and how SSL moves your cargo on the India side.

  • CurrencyMWK MK
  • Time−3h30 vs IST
  • CapitalLilongwe
  • AccessLandlocked
Get a quote for Malawi How exporting works
  • Road
  • Air
  1. Road leg in India to the gateway, SSL fleet · Road
  2. Air leg to Malawi · Air

Road in India, then sea or air onward

Exports from India
USD 100.0 mn
Imports into India
USD 78.9 mn
Trade partner rank
#132

Happiness, on this lane, is the buyer in Lilongwe 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
Low incomeWorld Bank
Currency
MWKMalawian kwacha
Languages
English, Chewa
Capital
Lilongwe
Time
−3h30 vs ISTUTC+02:00
Access
Landlocked
Trade partner rank
#1320.016% 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 Malawi

USD 100.0 mnIndia's exports to Malawi, 2024 (FOB)
0.020%of India's exports to the world
USD 178.9 mntwo-way trade, 2024
India's top exports to Malawi, 2024
  1. HS 30 Pharmaceutical products USD 45.5 mn46%
  2. HS 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof USD 10.8 mn11%
  3. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 9.4 mn9%
  4. HS 87 Vehicles USD 7.3 mn7%
  5. HS 40 Rubber and articles thereof USD 3.7 mn4%

Gateways in Malawi

Seaports: Landlocked: sea cargo moves through a neighbouring country's port.

Airports: Chileka International Airport (BLZ) · Kamuzu International Airport (LLW)

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 Malawi to India

USD 78.9 mnIndia's imports from Malawi, 2024 (CIF)
44%of the two-way trade is India buying
India's top imports from Malawi, 2024
  1. HS 07 Vegetables and certain roots and tubers USD 77.0 mn98%
  2. HS 74 Copper and articles thereof USD 1.1 mn1%
  3. HS 09 Coffee, tea, mate and spices USD 167 thousand0.2%
  4. HS 08 Fruit and nuts, edible USD 135 thousand0.2%
  5. HS 71 Natural, cultured pearls USD 135 thousand0.2%

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 air leg, or the sea leg through a neighbouring country's port, 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 Malawi. Guide →
HS code
Classify every line under the HS nomenclature; India's largest export chapter to Malawi in 2024 was HS 30. The 8-digit ITC(HS) code goes on the shipping bill. Guide →
Incoterms
Malawi is landlocked, so the multimodal terms (FCA, CPT, CIP, DAP) fit better than FOB or CIF, which are for sea legs only. Guide →
Certificate of origin
Non-preferential CoO Guide →

Questions about shipping between India and Malawi

Does India have a free trade agreement with Malawi?
No bilateral or regional agreement between India and Malawi 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 Malawi?
India exported USD 100.0 mn of goods to Malawi in 2024. The largest chapters were HS 30 pharmaceutical products (USD 45.5 mn), HS 85 electrical machinery and equipment and… (USD 10.8 mn), HS 84 machinery and mechanical appliances, bo… (USD 9.4 mn). That is 0.020% of India's exports to the world. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024, exports FOB.
What does India import from Malawi?
India imported USD 78.9 mn from Malawi in 2024, mainly HS 07 vegetables and certain roots and tubers (USD 77.0 mn), HS 74 copper and articles thereof (USD 1.1 mn), HS 09 coffee, tea, mate and spices (USD 167 thousand). 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-Malawi trade?
Two-way goods trade between India and Malawi was USD 178.9 mn in 2024, 0.016% of India's total, which ranks Malawi number 132 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 Malawi take?
No public port-to-port benchmark for India to Malawi 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 Malawi?
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 Malawi?
Lilongwe runs at UTC+02:00 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 Malawi 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.

Chat with SSL

Talk to a person