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South Asia · MV

India Maldives

India exported USD 825.1 mn to Maldives in 2024, led by HS 89, and imported USD 91.6 mn. Here are the documents, the gateways and how SSL moves your cargo on the India side.

  • AgreementSouth Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA)
  • CurrencyMVR .ރ
  • Time−0h30 vs IST
  • CapitalMalé
  • AccessCoastal
Get a quote for Maldives How exporting works

Road to the Indian port, then sea

Exports from India
USD 825.1 mn
Imports into India
USD 91.6 mn
Trade partner rank
#86

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

At a glance

Region
South AsiaSouthern Asia
Income group
Upper middle incomeWorld Bank
Currency
MVRMaldivian rufiyaa
Languages
Maldivian
Capital
Malé
Time
−0h30 vs ISTUTC+05:00
Access
Coastal
Trade partner rank
#860.081% of India's trade

Trade agreements: Preferential access under: South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) · India-Maldives FTA: under negotiation. 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 Maldives

USD 825.1 mnIndia's exports to Maldives, 2024 (FOB)
0.19%of India's exports to the world
USD 916.7 mntwo-way trade, 2024
India's top exports to Maldives, 2024
  1. HS 89 Ships, boats and floating structures USD 303.6 mn37%
  2. HS 88 Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof USD 78.9 mn10%
  3. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 48.1 mn6%
  4. HS 72 Iron and steel USD 34.2 mn4%
  5. HS 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof USD 27.9 mn3%

Gateways in Maldives

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

Airports: Gan International Airport (GAN) · Hanimaadhoo International Airport (HAQ) · Velana International Airport (MLE)

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 Maldives to India

USD 91.6 mnIndia's imports from Maldives, 2024 (CIF)
10%of the two-way trade is India buying
India's top imports from Maldives, 2024
  1. HS 88 Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof USD 78.3 mn86%
  2. HS 72 Iron and steel USD 6.0 mn7%
  3. HS 74 Copper and articles thereof USD 3.8 mn4%
  4. HS 76 Aluminium and articles thereof USD 1.2 mn1%
  5. HS 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof USD 990 thousand1%

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 South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), the importer must hold origin proof and answer CAROTAR 2020 origin checks. Read the import guide →

How SSL moves it

Road to the Indian port, then sea

India leg: by road to the Indian gateway

There is no land route. SSL moves your cargo by road to and from the Indian port. Ask us about the sea leg.

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 Maldives. Guide →
HS code
Classify every line under the HS nomenclature; India's largest export chapter to Maldives in 2024 was HS 89. 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: South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) Guide →

Questions about shipping between India and Maldives

Does India have a free trade agreement with Maldives?
Yes. Goods can qualify for preferential duty under South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), provided they meet the rules of origin and carry a preferential certificate of origin. India-Maldives FTA is under negotiation. Source: India Briefing FTA tracker / Invest India, 2026.
What does India export to Maldives?
India exported USD 825.1 mn of goods to Maldives in 2024. The largest chapters were HS 89 ships, boats and floating structures (USD 303.6 mn), HS 88 aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof (USD 78.9 mn), HS 84 machinery and mechanical appliances, bo… (USD 48.1 mn). That is 0.19% of India's exports to the world. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024, exports FOB.
What does India import from Maldives?
India imported USD 91.6 mn from Maldives in 2024, mainly HS 88 aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof (USD 78.3 mn), HS 72 iron and steel (USD 6.0 mn), HS 74 copper and articles thereof (USD 3.8 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-Maldives trade?
Two-way goods trade between India and Maldives was USD 916.7 mn in 2024, 0.081% of India's total, which ranks Maldives number 86 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 Maldives take?
No public port-to-port benchmark for India to Maldives 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 Maldives?
A preferential certificate of origin under South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) lets the buyer in Maldives 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 Maldives?
Malé runs at UTC+05:00 in 2026, which is −0h30 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 Maldives 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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