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Europe & Central Asia · GB

India United Kingdom

India exported USD 13.96 bn to United Kingdom in 2024, led by HS 85, and imported USD 6.53 bn. Here are the documents, the gateways and how SSL moves your cargo on the India side.

  • AgreementIndia-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
  • CurrencyGBP £
  • Time−5h30 to −4h30 vs IST
  • CapitalLondon
  • AccessCoastal
Get a quote for United Kingdom How exporting works
  • Road
  • Sea
  • Air
  1. Road leg in India to the gateway, SSL fleet · Road
  2. Sea leg to United Kingdom · Sea
  3. Air leg to United Kingdom · Air

Road in India, then sea or air onward

Exports from India
USD 13.96 bn
Imports into India
USD 6.53 bn
Trade partner rank
#16

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

At a glance

Region
Europe & Central AsiaNorthern Europe
Income group
High incomeWorld Bank
Currency
GBPBritish pound
Languages
English
Capital
London
Time
−5h30 to −4h30 vs ISTUTC+00:00, UTC+01:00
Access
Coastal
Trade partner rank
#161.81% of India's trade

Trade agreements: Preferential access under: India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). 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 United Kingdom

USD 13.96 bnIndia's exports to United Kingdom, 2024 (FOB)
3.21%of India's exports to the world
USD 20.49 bntwo-way trade, 2024
India's top exports to United Kingdom, 2024
  1. HS 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof USD 2.10 bn15%
  2. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 1.58 bn11%
  3. HS 27 Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation USD 1.24 bn9%
  4. HS 71 Natural, cultured pearls USD 927.1 mn7%
  5. HS 30 Pharmaceutical products USD 760.2 mn5%

Gateways in United Kingdom

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 United Kingdom to India

USD 6.53 bnIndia's imports from United Kingdom, 2024 (CIF)
32%of the two-way trade is India buying
India's top imports from United Kingdom, 2024
  1. HS 71 Natural, cultured pearls USD 1.44 bn22%
  2. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 821.5 mn13%
  3. HS 72 Iron and steel USD 507.4 mn8%
  4. HS 22 Beverages, spirits and vinegar USD 439.0 mn7%
  5. HS 90 Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, medical… USD 400.5 mn6%

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-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), 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 United Kingdom. Guide →
HS code
Classify every line under the HS nomenclature; India's largest export chapter to United Kingdom in 2024 was HS 85. 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-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) Guide →

Questions about shipping between India and United Kingdom

Does India have a free trade agreement with United Kingdom?
Yes. Goods can qualify for preferential duty under India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), 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 United Kingdom?
India exported USD 13.96 bn of goods to United Kingdom in 2024. The largest chapters were HS 85 electrical machinery and equipment and… (USD 2.10 bn), HS 84 machinery and mechanical appliances, bo… (USD 1.58 bn), HS 27 mineral fuels, mineral oils and product… (USD 1.24 bn). That is 3.21% of India's exports to the world. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024, exports FOB.
What does India import from United Kingdom?
India imported USD 6.53 bn from United Kingdom in 2024, mainly HS 71 natural, cultured pearls (USD 1.44 bn), HS 84 machinery and mechanical appliances, bo… (USD 821.5 mn), HS 72 iron and steel (USD 507.4 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-United Kingdom trade?
Two-way goods trade between India and United Kingdom was USD 20.49 bn in 2024, 1.81% of India's total, which ranks United Kingdom number 16 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 United Kingdom take?
No public port-to-port benchmark for India to United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom?
A preferential certificate of origin under India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) lets the buyer in United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom?
London runs at UTC+00:00, UTC+01:00 in 2026, which is −5h30 to −4h30 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 United Kingdom 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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