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India United States

India exported USD 79.44 bn to United States in 2024, led by HS 85, and imported USD 38.99 bn. Here are the documents, the gateways and how SSL moves your cargo on the India side.

  • AgreementIndia-US Bilateral Trade Agreement: under negotiation
  • CurrencyUSD $
  • Time−15h30 to −9h30 vs IST
  • CapitalWashington D.C.
  • AccessCoastal
Get a quote for United States How exporting works
  • Road
  • Sea
  • Air
  1. Road leg in India to the gateway, SSL fleet · Road
  2. Sea leg to United States · Sea
  3. Air leg to United States · Air

Road in India, then sea or air onward

Exports from India
USD 79.44 bn
Imports into India
USD 38.99 bn
Trade partner rank
#2

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

At a glance

Region
North AmericaNorth America
Income group
High incomeWorld Bank
Currency
USDUnited States dollar
Languages
English
Capital
Washington D.C.
Time
−15h30 to −9h30 vs ISTUTC-04:00 … UTC-10:00 (7 offsets)
Access
Coastal
Trade partner rank
#210.46% of India's trade

Trade agreements: No India trade agreement in force (MFN terms; check GSTP separately). · India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement: 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 United States

USD 79.44 bnIndia's exports to United States, 2024 (FOB)
18.29%of India's exports to the world
USD 118.43 bntwo-way trade, 2024
India's top exports to United States, 2024
  1. HS 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof USD 12.33 bn16%
  2. HS 71 Natural, cultured pearls USD 9.15 bn12%
  3. HS 30 Pharmaceutical products USD 8.72 bn11%
  4. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 6.48 bn8%
  5. HS 27 Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation USD 4.38 bn6%

Gateways in United States

Seaports: New York / New Jersey (USNYC) · Los Angeles (USLAX) · Savannah (USSAV)

Airports: John F. Kennedy International, New York (JFK) · Chicago O'Hare (ORD) · Los Angeles International (LAX) · Miami International (MIA)

Editor-curated main cargo gateways (VERIFY). Direct service from India NOT verified.

Transit time

Nhava Sheva (INNSA) → New York / New Jersey (USNYC): 22-25 via Suez; 35-40 via Cape of Good Hope days by sea (FCL), port to port. freight-forwarder route guide; routing depends on Red Sea conditions. Sources: gofreight.com, searates.com

Trade lane: Nhava Sheva → New York / New Jersey →

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 States to India

USD 38.99 bnIndia's imports from United States, 2024 (CIF)
33%of the two-way trade is India buying
India's top imports from United States, 2024
  1. HS 27 Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation USD 12.29 bn32%
  2. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 5.78 bn15%
  3. HS 90 Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, medical… USD 2.32 bn6%
  4. HS 71 Natural, cultured pearls USD 2.25 bn6%
  5. HS 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof USD 2.00 bn5%

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 United States. Guide →
HS code
Classify every line under the HS nomenclature; India's largest export chapter to United States 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
Non-preferential CoO Guide →

Questions about shipping between India and United States

Does India have a free trade agreement with United States?
Not in force yet. India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement is under negotiation. Until it is in force, trade with United States runs at normal (MFN) duty rates. Source: India Briefing FTA tracker, 2026.
What does India export to United States?
India exported USD 79.44 bn of goods to United States in 2024. The largest chapters were HS 85 electrical machinery and equipment and… (USD 12.33 bn), HS 71 natural, cultured pearls (USD 9.15 bn), HS 30 pharmaceutical products (USD 8.72 bn). That is 18.29% of India's exports to the world. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024, exports FOB.
What does India import from United States?
India imported USD 38.99 bn from United States in 2024, mainly HS 27 mineral fuels, mineral oils and product… (USD 12.29 bn), HS 84 machinery and mechanical appliances, bo… (USD 5.78 bn), HS 90 optical, photographic, cinematographic,… (USD 2.32 bn). 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 States trade?
Two-way goods trade between India and United States was USD 118.43 bn in 2024, 10.46% of India's total, which ranks United States number 2 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 States take?
Nhava Sheva (INNSA) to New York / New Jersey (USNYC) by sea (FCL) takes about 22-25 via Suez; 35-40 via Cape of Good Hope days port to port, based on freight-forwarder route guide; routing depends on Red Sea conditions. Add the road leg to the Indian port and clearance at both ends. Sources: gofreight.com, searates.com, 2026.
What certificate of origin do I need to export to United States?
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 United States?
Washington D.C. runs at UTC-04:00 … UTC-10:00 (7 offsets) in 2026, which is −15h30 to −9h30 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 States 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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