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South Asia · LK

India Sri Lanka

India exported USD 4.72 bn to Sri Lanka in 2024, led by HS 27, and imported USD 967.8 mn. Here are the documents, the gateways and how SSL moves your cargo on the India side.

  • AgreementSouth Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA)
  • AgreementAsia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA)
  • AgreementIndia-Sri Lanka FTA
  • CurrencyLKR Rs රු
  • Timesame as IST
  • CapitalColombo
  • AccessCoastal
Get a quote for Sri Lanka How exporting works
  • Road
  • Sea
  • Air
  1. Road leg in India to the gateway, SSL fleet · Road
  2. Sea leg to Sri Lanka · Sea
  3. Air leg to Sri Lanka · Air

Road to the Indian port, then sea

Exports from India
USD 4.72 bn
Imports into India
USD 967.8 mn
Trade partner rank
#37

Happiness, on this lane, is the buyer in Colombo 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
LKRSri Lankan rupee
Languages
Sinhala, Tamil
Capital
Colombo
Time
same as ISTUTC+05:30
Access
Coastal
Trade partner rank
#370.50% of India's trade

Trade agreements: Preferential access under: South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA); Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA); India-Sri Lanka FTA. 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 Sri Lanka

USD 4.72 bnIndia's exports to Sri Lanka, 2024 (FOB)
1.09%of India's exports to the world
USD 5.68 bntwo-way trade, 2024
India's top exports to Sri Lanka, 2024
  1. HS 27 Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation USD 1.07 bn23%
  2. HS 89 Ships, boats and floating structures USD 292.5 mn6%
  3. HS 52 Cotton USD 283.7 mn6%
  4. HS 60 Fabrics USD 259.9 mn6%
  5. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 233.7 mn5%

Gateways in Sri Lanka

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

Airports: Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport (CMB) · Colombo Ratmalana International Airport (RML) · Jaffna International Airport (JAF)

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 Sri Lanka to India

USD 967.8 mnIndia's imports from Sri Lanka, 2024 (CIF)
17%of the two-way trade is India buying
India's top imports from Sri Lanka, 2024
  1. HS 09 Coffee, tea, mate and spices USD 166.7 mn17%
  2. HS 88 Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof USD 124.1 mn13%
  3. HS 23 Food industries, residues and wastes thereof USD 104.6 mn11%
  4. HS 08 Fruit and nuts, edible USD 54.0 mn6%
  5. HS 89 Ships, boats and floating structures USD 52.2 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. To pay the lower rate under South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) or Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) or India-Sri Lanka FTA, 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 Sri Lanka. Guide →
HS code
Classify every line under the HS nomenclature; India's largest export chapter to Sri Lanka 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
Preferential CoO available under: South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA); Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA); India-Sri Lanka FTA Guide →

Questions about shipping between India and Sri Lanka

Does India have a free trade agreement with Sri Lanka?
Yes. Goods can qualify for preferential duty under South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) and Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) and India-Sri Lanka FTA, 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 Sri Lanka?
India exported USD 4.72 bn of goods to Sri Lanka in 2024. The largest chapters were HS 27 mineral fuels, mineral oils and product… (USD 1.07 bn), HS 89 ships, boats and floating structures (USD 292.5 mn), HS 52 cotton (USD 283.7 mn). That is 1.09% of India's exports to the world. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024, exports FOB.
What does India import from Sri Lanka?
India imported USD 967.8 mn from Sri Lanka in 2024, mainly HS 09 coffee, tea, mate and spices (USD 166.7 mn), HS 88 aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof (USD 124.1 mn), HS 23 food industries, residues and wastes th… (USD 104.6 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-Sri Lanka trade?
Two-way goods trade between India and Sri Lanka was USD 5.68 bn in 2024, 0.50% of India's total, which ranks Sri Lanka number 37 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 Sri Lanka take?
No public port-to-port benchmark for India to Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka?
A preferential certificate of origin under South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) lets the buyer in Sri Lanka 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.
Can I send goods from India to Sri Lanka by road?
Sri Lanka is served by sea; SSL's possible role is the road leg to the Indian port.
What is the time difference between India and Sri Lanka?
Colombo runs at UTC+05:30 in 2026, which is same as 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 Sri Lanka 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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