A comprehensive guide to shipping from China to India

As per the analytics for 2020, it is calculated that the total value of goods India imported from China was close to $67 billion (USD). That total value placed India as China’s ninth-largest export partner.?

?Perhaps business brings electronics or other items onto the Indian subcontinent from China, which can help avail more benefits of cross-border logistics. You might be the first-time importer looking for guidance relating to China-India shipping.

As per the potential shipping scenario, if it’s likely to involve ocean and air shipping from China to India, you’ll get plenty of information in this article. The available hints and tips in this article will help you pick the most appropriate method and mode of shipping and assess transit times and prices for your freight.

What Are Your Options for Shipping Freight From China to India?

While the land border of the two countries is in a shared state, their vastness dictates that most businesses use ocean or air freight to import products from China to India. Among these two methods, the use of ocean carriers typically provides the most economical. Air freight is often reserved for urgent shipments of high-value, delicate, and perishable goods.

Here the decision is in your hand among the two modes of shipping choice. In the following sections, you will find a way to help you decide between sending a container from China to India by sea and using faster air-freight shipping.

Ocean Freight from China to India

Less than Container Load (LCL): choosing the method of ocean freight to export from China to India, it is not mandatory to rent a container. Less-than-container-load (LCL) shipping is a lower-cost option if you typically ship smaller consignments of goods.

Instead of renting a container, you can opt for another option with an LCL freight forwarder to have your merchandise consolidated with other shippers' goods. In this method, the goods or products can be carried in a shared shipping container from India to China.

Full Container Load (FCL): If you import products from China to India on a larger scale and can fill a shipping container, FCL shipping will consume less time than FCL. It is less cost-effective (when calculated on a cost-per-unit basis). The cost of container rental is considerable. The shipping cost for the freight inside will be far less than LCL fees for the same volume.

Air Freight from China to India

Shipping a container from China to India by sea will take several weeks. Therefore, if the movement of the goods is needed to be quick, you'll need to foot higher.

Should You Choose Ocean Freight or Air Freight?

Ocean Freight

One of the most popular ways to ship freight when importing from China to India is by sea. The context is that ocean shipping is not exceptionally costly and includes a few limitations to cargo type and quantity transported. However, if you choose ocean freight for Chinese exports to India, you must plan shipments due to the lengthy transit durations. One must consider the most appropriate method of transportation from port to port.

Air Freight

If your consignees in India can’t accommodate the lengthy transit times of ocean freight, air shipping can reduce the waiting time drastically. The method is the most expensive form of cargo transportation, often reserved for:

? Emergency shipments

? Small quantities of just three or four pallets or less

? High-value goods

? Products that must be delivered at the peak of freshness, such as flowers, fruit, or unfrozen meat and fish.

Shipping goods from China to India: The significant steps involved?

Shipping goods from China into India needs to follow specific procedures. Here we have mentioned the steps one by one; following these guidelines will help you import products from the factories of your choice in China without any hassles and obstacles.

Let’s get initiated with the steps:

Step 1: For the importing, firstly identify the products

Before importing anything to an outside country, you first need to consider and decide which product you will import to India from China. This is one of the essential factors to keep in mind and also can be a tedious process if you (sender) are not aware of the things regarding the market research. The prime consideration can be related to the search work that highlights the products by yourself; else, one can also take help from a professional who can study the market trends and make you much aware about what can be the most profitable product for you to deal in.

Step 2: After identifying the product, connect with the suppliers

Searching and getting connected to supplier that deals in the same league are not a cup of tea for everyone. There are many suppliers available in China, and finding someone who can provide you with precisely what you need can take a couple of days and months. One can rely on the manufacturers or distributors of the same product to accomplish the desired task. Connecting with Chinese factories directly can be beneficial for your business.

Step 3: Communicate with the suppliers and convey your requirements to them.

It is one of the significant and essential parts of maintaining good trade relations with a respective supplier. Clarifying and transparent communication with the supplier can build a healthy relationship between the two, and also, both can convey what you are seeking in a product. Just right after finding a reliable supplier, always make sure to establish a lasting relationship with them. In addition to the healthy and strong relationship, this will include the convenience of shipping goods from China to India over time.

Step 4: Go through the law prospects associated with importing goods from China to India.

In both countries, there are specific existing laws that govern imports from China into India. Not adhering to or considering these can give rise to some severe consequences. Hence, it becomes crucial to have a better understanding of such laws. One of the primary and ice-breaking parts is to procure an import license.

Step 5: Collect the documents required for importing goods from China to India

While importing products from China, it is essential to make a collection of necessary and yet required documents involved in the trade simultaneously. Having these documents ready will help ensure quick clearance of your cargo by customs officials. On the contrary, it will consume longer clearance time by customs officials.

Step 6: Calculate the sum amount of import duties

Importing products from one country to another contains various taxing complexities. The sellers must pay a fixed amount to the governors as an import duty while shipping cargo from China. These values of taxes are determined based on the value of the goods imported from China. These values cannot be negotiated.

Step 7: Decide the mode of payment with the supplier

Once your cargo has been shipped, you will have to pay the amount to the supplier. The amount that has already been determined by the communication between the two. Agreement on the payment mode beforehand can help avoid any hassles later on.

Step 8: Choose a reliable freight

Choosing reliable freight is the most crucial step involved in international shipping. This freight can either make or break the deal. Freight that has been forwarder manages the shipment from a factory in China to your chosen address. They care about complicated customs procedures and also ensure the safety of your goods. The role of the freight is to manage the warehouse facility for your interests in China.

Step 9: Choose the preferable mode of shipping the goods

While making the shipment of the imported goods from China to India, you need to keep in mind which is the best mode of shipping the goods for the seller.