1. Do I Really Need No Documents If the Supplier "Takes Care"?
What's true. The supplier takes care of India. It files the shipping bill, gets export clearance and issues the commercial invoice, the packing list and any certificate of origin. That's real work, and a good exporter does it well.
What's missing. The import side, in your country, in the importer's name. In Great Britain you may need an EORI number to move goods in from another country, unless the goods are not controlled and are for personal use only (GOV.UK, EORI (opens in a new tab)). In Australia a consignment over A$1,000 must be formally entered on an import declaration (ABF ACN 2021/01 (opens in a new tab)), and in New Zealand an import declaration is required above NZ$1,000 (NZ Customs (opens in a new tab)). In the US, informal entry is generally allowed up to US$2,500 and formal entry above it (CBP e-commerce FAQs (opens in a new tab)). Somebody files each of those, and it isn't your supplier.
2. If the Supplier Ships DDP, Is Customs Its Problem?
What's true. Under DDP the seller agrees to clear the goods into your country and pay the duty.
What's missing. An Indian exporter can only do that through someone set up in your country. Most small exporters can't, which is why their DDP prices often look high or the goods stop at the port. If you accept DDP, ask who the importer of record will be, by name. Importer of record explains what you hand over when it isn't you.
3. Can Stock Go as a Gift or Sample to Avoid Duty?
What's true. Some countries do have reliefs for genuine gifts. The UK, for example, doesn't charge VAT on gifts worth £39 or less sent to you by someone else (GOV.UK (opens in a new tab)).
What's missing. Stock you bought for your business isn't a gift. Labelling commercial goods as gifts or personal items to avoid duty is a false declaration, and it's the importer's declaration. We cover the money side, including split cash-and-invoice offers, in my supplier offered to under-declare the invoice.
4. Does Shipping in Several Boxes Avoid Customs?
What's true. Low-value parcels clear through simpler routes in most markets.
What's missing. Customs counts the order, not the box. Australia says outright that packages "known to be part of the same order" are one consignment, even when they arrive on different days (ABF ACN 2021/01 (opens in a new tab)). The full answer by market is in can you split an India order to stay under the duty-free limit.
5. Is It Really Zero Duty From Day One?
What's true. India's trade agreements cut duty to zero on many lines in Australia, the UK and, from 20 October 2026, New Zealand.
What's missing. Two things. First, the date the agreement enters into force, and the date on your import entry, decide the rate. A New Zealand post in May 2026 promised "zero tariffs from Day 1" and "customs clearance from India guaranteed within 48 hours" before the agreement was in force, and a reply pointed out that "removal of tariffs does not remove quality standards" (r/newzealand, May 2026, from our forum research, FS-SHP-014). The dates are on India to New Zealand. Second, the zero only applies with the right proof of origin in your broker's hands.
6. Does a Certificate of Origin Come With Every Shipment?
What's true. Indian exporters can get preferential certificates through DGFT's systems, and most do it routinely for buyers who ask.
What's missing. The asking. A certificate is made for one agreement and, in most cases, one shipment, signed only by an agency listed for that agreement, and since April 2026 its invoice number has to match the shipping bill. Put it in the PO. The exporter's side is on how an Indian exporter gets a certificate of origin, and what each agreement accepts at your border is on certificate of origin.
7. If the Product Is "Approved for Your Market", Are You Covered?
What's true. Many Indian exporters hold real certifications and ship to your market regularly.
What's missing. Product rules usually bind the importer or the person placing goods on the market, not the overseas maker. For food into the US that means the FSVP importer, a US party (FDA (opens in a new tab)), plus the facility and prior notice rules on FDA food facility registration. Natural goods into Australia and New Zealand meet biosecurity checks separate from customs, covered on biosecurity for natural goods. A supplier's certificate is evidence you use, not a compliance status you inherit.
8. What Should You Do Instead?
Make a short import checklist before the first order, and share it with the supplier so both sides know who does what.
- Your registrations. EORI in the UK, an importer number and bond with your US broker, an ABN or a broker who lodges in your name in Australia, a client code in New Zealand. Your broker will tell you what applies.
- Your product rules. Food, cosmetics, toys, electrical goods and anything natural carry extra rules. Find yours on certifications.
- The documents you need from India. Name them in the PO - commercial invoice, packing list, the right certificate of origin, any product certificates and the bill of lading.
- Who clears. You and your broker, unless you've agreed otherwise in writing.
Then prefer a supplier who already exports to your market. It doesn't have to be a big one, just one that has shipped to your country before and knows what your broker will ask for. If you're unsure whether a supplier makes the goods or buys them in, manufacturer vs trading company helps you ask.
