Most problems with shipping goods from China to India are not caused by the ocean or the airline. They start earlier, with a description that is too vague, a registration that has lapsed, a document that disagrees with another one, or a deadline nobody noticed. The good news is that nearly all of them are preventable once you know where to look. This guide covers ten common mistakes, the rule or fact behind each, and a practical way to avoid it.
If you want the process in order, read our step-by-step guide to shipping goods from China to India. For the wider overview, see the complete guide to China to India shipping.
Before You Order
Mistake 1: Letting the Importer Exporter Code lapse, or not having one
What goes wrong: the bill of entry cannot be filed correctly, and the cargo waits. The rule: India's Foreign Trade Policy 2023 says no import or export may be made without an IEC unless the person is specifically exempted, and the Handbook of Procedures lists the exemptions. The Policy also says IEC holders must update their details online every year during April to June, and that an IEC not updated in time is deactivated until it is. How to avoid it: check the status of your IEC before you place an order, and put the April to June update in your calendar. The DGFT IEC page explains the current procedure.
Mistake 2: Ignoring import conditions for regulated goods
What goes wrong: goods that need a licence, a standard or an approval arrive without it. The rule: under the Foreign Trade Policy, imports are free unless prohibited, restricted or reserved for state trading, and the domestic laws, technical specifications and safety norms that apply to Indian goods also apply to imports unless specifically exempted. It also allows the regulator to notify additional documents for specific goods. How to avoid it: confirm your product's category with your broker before you pay a supplier.
Mistake 3: Using a vague description or the wrong HS code
What goes wrong: duty is calculated on the wrong basis, or customs raises a query. The rule: under Section 46(4A) of the Customs Act, 1962, the importer must ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information in the bill of entry, and Section 17 makes the importer self-assess the duty. Section 114AA provides that knowingly or intentionally making or using a declaration that is false or incorrect in a material particular can attract a penalty of up to five times the value of the goods. How to avoid it: use a precise description, confirm the HS code with your broker, and make sure the same description appears on every document. Our HS code guide explains why classification matters.
Mistake 4: Agreeing terms without understanding the Incoterm
What goes wrong: a step is assumed to be the other side's job, and nobody does it. The rule: the ICC's Incoterms 2020 divide the work between buyer and seller differently under each term. EXW leaves export clearance with the buyer, FOB has the seller clear the goods for export and load them on board, and CIF has the seller also pay main freight and insurance. How to avoid it: write the Incoterm into the order and list who does each step. Our guide to Incoterms for China sourcing helps.
Before the Cargo Leaves China
Mistake 5: Documents that do not match
What goes wrong: a different quantity, description or value on the invoice, packing list and transport document raises questions. The rule: the Foreign Trade Policy lists the mandatory import documents as the bill of lading or airway bill, a commercial invoice cum packing list (separate documents are also accepted) and the bill of entry. How to avoid it: compare every document line by line before the cargo ships. Our document checklist lists what to collect.
Mistake 6: Raw wood packaging without treatment marks
What goes wrong: pallets or crates can be delayed at the border. The rule: the international standard ISPM 15 covers wood packaging made from raw wood. It approves specific treatments, for example heating the wood until its core reaches 56 °C and holds that temperature for at least half an hour, and it requires a mark showing the wood was treated. How to avoid it: ask your supplier to confirm that all wooden packaging is treated and marked, or use pallets made from other materials.
Mistake 7: Missing the verified weight
What goes wrong: the weight has to be obtained at the last minute, which can delay loading and add cost. The rule: SOLAS guidance from the IMO, effective 1 July 2016, puts the duty to declare a container's verified gross mass on the shipper, in the shipping document and ahead of loading, to both the master and the terminal. How to avoid it: ask your forwarder who will supply the figure and by when.
Mistake 8: Skipping inspection and insurance
What goes wrong: a defect or a loss is discovered after the goods are sealed and shipped, and nobody is covered. How to avoid it: inspect goods and packing before the supplier releases them, and insure the shipment for its full value. See our guides to quality control inspection and cargo insurance for China-origin shipments.
On Arrival in India
Mistake 9: Treating clearance as something that starts after arrival
What goes wrong: cargo waits, charges accrue and deadlines pass. The rules: the filing window opens thirty days before expected arrival and closes at the end of the day before arrival, unless the Board sets another limit (Section 46). Duty on a self-assessed entry falls due on the day of presentation, and paying late attracts interest within a statutory range of 10% to 36% a year (Section 47). And cargo left uncleared for thirty days after unloading, or for any longer period the officer allows, can be sold after notice to the importer (Section 48). How to avoid it: prepare the filing and the duty funds while the cargo is still at sea.
Mistake 10: Comparing quotes that are not comparable
What goes wrong: the cheapest quote becomes the most expensive after exclusions appear. How to avoid it: compare scope, Incoterm, container size, included charges, free time and validity, not just the total. Our explainer on how freight forwarding rates are calculated lists the usual lines.
What to Do If You Have Already Made a Mistake
If you spot an error after booking, or after the cargo has sailed, act quickly and openly.
- Tell your forwarder and your customs broker as soon as you notice, and give them the facts.
- Ask which documents can still be corrected, and what the process and the cost are.
- Do not alter documents informally or send different versions to different parties. Corrections should go through the proper channel.
- Check whether the error changes the duty, the licences you need or the clearance plan, and agree who bears the cost.
- Keep a record of what was found, when, and what was done about it.
- For anything that affects duty or compliance, take advice from a licensed customs professional.
A Simple Prevention Routine
- Check your IEC and your product's import conditions before you order.
- Agree the Incoterm and the HS code in writing.
- Inspect the goods and confirm packing, marks and wooden packaging.
- Reconcile every document before booking and again before sailing.
- Agree who supplies the verified weight, and by when.
- Prepare the bill of entry and the duty payment before the cargo arrives.
- Insure the shipment, and keep a file with every document and quote.
Avoid the Mistakes with RR Brothers and Logistics
A forwarder that checks your documents and tells you what is missing can prevent most of the mistakes above. RR Brothers and Logistics offers sea freight, air freight and customs clearance and brokerage for China to India cargo. Send us your cargo details and we will review them with you before you book.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no single answer, but vague goods descriptions, wrong HS codes, mismatched documents and a lapsed Importer Exporter Code are frequent causes of delay. Checking them before you order prevents most of the problems.
The Foreign Trade Policy says IEC holders must update their details every year during April to June, and that an IEC not updated within the period is deactivated until it is updated.
Section 114AA of the Customs Act provides for a penalty of up to five times the value of the goods where a person knowingly or intentionally uses a declaration that is false or incorrect in a material particular. Accuracy is the importer's responsibility.
Wood packaging made from raw wood should be treated and marked under ISPM 15, for example heat treated to at least 56 °C for 30 continuous minutes. Ask your supplier to confirm, or use other materials.
Under Section 48 of the Customs Act, goods not cleared, warehoused or transhipped within thirty days of unloading, or any further time the officer allows, may be sold after notice to the importer.
Use a checklist, agree each step in writing, ask your forwarder or broker to review documents before shipping, and start with a small consignment while you learn the process.
Sources
- DGFT: Foreign Trade Policy 2023, Chapter 2 (paras 2.03, 2.05, 2.06)
- DGFT: Handbook of Procedures, Chapter 2, July 2026 edition (IEC exemptions)
- DGFT: IEC profile management
- CBIC: Customs Act, 1962 (Sections 17, 46, 47, 48 and 114AA)
- ICC: Incoterms 2020 rules
- IPPC/FAO: ISPM 15, Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade (2018)
- IMO: Verification of the gross mass of a packed container (SOLAS)
This article is general information, not legal, tax or customs advice. Rules, rates and procedures change; confirm current requirements with the relevant authority or a licensed customs professional before you ship. Regulatory references were checked against the official sources listed above on 25 October 2026.
Image credits: header photo by Jakub Żerdzicki on Unsplash; photo by Frank Mckenna on Unsplash. Used under the Unsplash License.
Request a Quote
