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Sub-Saharan Africa · ZM

India Zambia

India exported USD 222.9 mn to Zambia in 2024, led by HS 30, and imported USD 1.94 bn. Here are the documents, the gateways and how SSL moves your cargo on the India side.

  • CurrencyZMW ZK
  • Time−3h30 vs IST
  • CapitalLusaka
  • AccessLandlocked
Get a quote for Zambia How exporting works
  • Road
  • Air
  1. Road leg in India to the gateway, SSL fleet · Road
  2. Air leg to Zambia · Air

Road in India, then sea or air onward

Exports from India
USD 222.9 mn
Imports into India
USD 1.94 bn
Trade partner rank
#57

Happiness, on this lane, is the buyer in Lusaka 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
Lower middle incomeWorld Bank
Currency
ZMWZambian kwacha
Languages
English
Capital
Lusaka
Time
−3h30 vs ISTUTC+02:00
Access
Landlocked
Trade partner rank
#570.19% 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 Zambia

USD 222.9 mnIndia's exports to Zambia, 2024 (FOB)
0.050%of India's exports to the world
USD 2.17 bntwo-way trade, 2024
India's top exports to Zambia, 2024
  1. HS 30 Pharmaceutical products USD 90.6 mn41%
  2. HS 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors USD 33.6 mn15%
  3. HS 39 Plastics and articles thereof USD 14.0 mn6%
  4. HS 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof USD 11.9 mn5%
  5. HS 87 Vehicles USD 11.5 mn5%

Gateways in Zambia

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

Airports: Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport (LVI) · Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN) · Mfuwe International Airport (MFU) · Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (NLA)

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 Zambia to India

USD 1.94 bnIndia's imports from Zambia, 2024 (CIF)
90%of the two-way trade is India buying
India's top imports from Zambia, 2024
  1. HS 74 Copper and articles thereof USD 1.70 bn87%
  2. HS 71 Natural, cultured pearls USD 213.3 mn11%
  3. HS 78 Lead and articles thereof USD 17.4 mn0.9%
  4. HS 76 Aluminium and articles thereof USD 4.0 mn0.2%
  5. HS 26 Ores, slag and ash USD 3.7 mn0.2%

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 Zambia. Guide →
HS code
Classify every line under the HS nomenclature; India's largest export chapter to Zambia in 2024 was HS 30. The 8-digit ITC(HS) code goes on the shipping bill. Guide →
Incoterms
Zambia 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 Zambia

Does India have a free trade agreement with Zambia?
No bilateral or regional agreement between India and Zambia 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 Zambia?
India exported USD 222.9 mn of goods to Zambia in 2024. The largest chapters were HS 30 pharmaceutical products (USD 90.6 mn), HS 84 machinery and mechanical appliances, bo… (USD 33.6 mn), HS 39 plastics and articles thereof (USD 14.0 mn). That is 0.050% of India's exports to the world. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024, exports FOB.
What does India import from Zambia?
India imported USD 1.94 bn from Zambia in 2024, mainly HS 74 copper and articles thereof (USD 1.70 bn), HS 71 natural, cultured pearls (USD 213.3 mn), HS 78 lead and articles thereof (USD 17.4 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-Zambia trade?
Two-way goods trade between India and Zambia was USD 2.17 bn in 2024, 0.19% of India's total, which ranks Zambia number 57 among India's trading partners. India imports more than it exports on this lane. Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, 2024.
How long does shipping from India to Zambia take?
No public port-to-port benchmark for India to Zambia 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 Zambia?
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 Zambia?
Lusaka 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 Zambia 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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