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Import and export · checked 11 November 2026
Get an Importer Exporter Code from the DGFT against your PAN, then GST, ICEGATE and a Letter of Undertaking; the buyer is the hard part.
Every shipment needs the IEC, and it must be updated on the DGFT portal every year between April and June. Check your product's ITC-HS code, join its export promotion council, and start as a merchant exporter if you have no factory. Ask a new overseas buyer for advance payment or a letter of credit, and insure the rest with ECGC.
The steps 19 answers
- How do I start an import-export business in India? Starting Up
- How do I get an Import Export Code (IEC) in India? Starting Up
- How do I actually import a product from China as a small D2C brand with no existing supply chain? D2C
- What's actually different between working direct with a factory, buying off Alibaba, and hiring a sourcing agent? D2C
- What do I legally need in India to import goods, IEC, GST, anything else? D2C
- What are the classic ways first-time importers get scammed or burned? D2C
- Should I ship by air or sea, and how do I actually choose a freight forwarder? D2C
- What paperwork and licenses do I actually need to export from India? D2C
- What's the very first paperwork I need before I ship one export order out of India? D2C
- What is an HS code and how do I find the right one for my product? D2C
- What's the difference between RoDTEP and duty drawback, and do I need to apply for both? D2C
- What do DDP and DDU/DAP mean, and which should I choose at checkout? D2C
- Do I need an LUT to avoid paying IGST upfront on export orders? D2C
- What compliance mistakes get first-time exporters' shipments stuck at customs? D2C
- What's a freight forwarder and when do I actually need one instead of a courier? D2C
- Do I need an FIRC/FIRA for every international payment, and why does it matter? D2C
- What RBI/FEMA rules do I actually need to know as a D2C exporter accepting foreign payments? D2C
- What is RoDTEP and how does it help if I export through Amazon Global or Shopify? D2C
- What other export incentive schemes exist besides RoDTEP for a D2C brand? D2C
The readingMost used across these answers
- Foreign Trade Policy (DGFT) Read
- FSSAI kind of business: eligibility criteria and fee structure (updated 1 April 2026) Read
- Importer-Exporter Code: meaning, benefits, how to apply Read · 5 answers
- IEC (Import Export Code), How to Apply, Documents & Benefits Read · 3 answers
- Import Electronics from China to India: Step-by-Step Method Read · 3 answers
- What Is IEC? Registration, Fees and Documents Read · 2 answers
- RoDTEP Scheme: Full Form, Rates, Guidelines, Eligibility, Features, Benefits Read · 2 answers
- RoDTEP Scheme: A Complete Guide Read · 2 answers
- Cross Border Payments in India Read · 2 answers
- Cross-Border Payment Regulations in India, What Businesses Need to Know Read · 2 answers
The terms
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