What's the very first paperwork I need before I ship one export order out of India?
The short answer
Three things, non-negotiable: an IEC (Importer-Exporter Code) from DGFT, around Rs 500, usually issued within a few working days, active GST registration, and an AD Code registered with your bank at the port or courier you'll ship from. File an LUT on the GST portal too, so you can export without paying IGST upfront and blocking your own cash. None of this is hard, but do it before your first shipment, not after a parcel gets stuck in customs.
A quick summary to orient you. The real value is below: the resources worth your time, from people who've actually done it, not us.
Here are the resources
Hand-picked from around the web, each with a note on why it earns your time. India-specific ones carry a badge.
Why we picked it
The IEC is the one document you cannot export without, and this explains what it is, who needs it, and the DGFT application steps in plain language for first-time exporters.
Why we picked it
A neutral, non-marketplace explainer of the IEC from a trusted Indian tax source, good to cross-read alongside Amazon's version so you understand the compliance, not just the sales pitch.
Why we picked it
The actual government source of truth for IEC applications, ITC-HS classification, export policy and scheme updates, bookmark this over any third-party summary, since rules and rates change.
Why we picked it
The exact page where you apply for and manage your IEC and complete the mandatory annual update, the actual tool, not a description of it.
