Well it is an important question in the world of today, more and more Indians are purchasing stuff online and importing it into India. But the question most people ask is the same. What about the customs duty?
Well to be frank with you, anything you have bought abroad and are bringing into India is chargeable as far as custom duties go except some duty free items like IT Products (Digital Camera, LCD Monitors,RAM,Processors etc., confirm the list though).
Seasoned ebay sellers and other online stores try to ensure that loyal Indian customers aren’t forced to shed customs at all. Remember you don’t need an IEC number to import stuff for personal use.
Here is what most companies do so that you don’t have to pay customs for importing stuff into India :
1. They mark the product as a gift on the customs declaration form of the package. This is illegal by the way , but there is no way to detect whether the thing is a gift or not. Unless the other person leaves an invoice inside the so called gift 
2. Even after declaring the commodity as a gift, Indian customs will still charge it if the price is above Rs.10000 , so these ebay sellers under-declare the value of goods. This is a double edged sword, as if the product is stolen it would mean that you would not get the right price from insurance, so this can lead to losses.
Now both these steps do save duty to the importer, but you should realise they are probably illegal and be ready for consequences. Also keep in mind the more expensive the courier, the more closely the customs will examine your package. They know that EMS and DHL aren’t used for low value items, hence these packages are scrutinised more than others. On the same time Airmail and Registered Airmail is more prone to theft especially in India.
Now the fact is most genuine importers don’t mind paying a little duty on the products they are importing into India, but the customs are so notorious that most try to circumvent them, because they know if their package is caught by Indian customs, there will be a lot more paying up to do! Also if you are importing in bulk and you don’t have an IEC, you are in big trouble.
Another question people have is what happens if the customs find your item chargeable, dont worry no one will send you to jail unless you are importing prohibited stuff. If your item is found chargeable, your package will be seized by customs and you will be sent a letter usually asking you for purpose of import etc. Be truthful while replying. If customs are satisfied with your reply, then they will calculate the appropriate customs duty and send the postman to your home who collects the duty and delivers your shipment. As easy as that. There is a small fine too for mis-declarations. Frequent mis-declarations will get you in trouble though. So be on the right side of the law. In case you have questions, feel free to ask via comments. Also this is not legal advice, hire a lawyer if you need legal advice.
July 5th, 2008 at 10:10 am
I regularly buy from Ebay USA and Ebay UK, and the post pretty much summarises what Indian customs are all about.
Fedex and DHL will always be checked by Indian customs, so if you are getting something like the Iphone and are afraid of customs then registered post is the smartest move no doubt but its risky with Indian Postmen stealing stuff. Also be aware that Fedex and DHL charge a huge brokerage price which often is greater than the price of the object.
July 11th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Can you tell me about the customs duty for importing the following in India :
Digital Camera won on Ebay
Laptop as a gift
personal items imported via post
Can you give me a link to indian customs site, if i mark a product as a gift, upto what value can they be freely imported into India without the fear of customs.
Also should i choose EMS,DHL,UPS,Fedex or registered post or normal airmail while importing into India ?
July 11th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Personal Items imported into India will get charged at 17.34% , if you declare items as gifts while importing into India on CN 22/23 forms then you get zero duty charged.
Also dont take panga with Indian Customs , if they seize your package, they wont release it without greasing of palms, or ofcourse they will charge you a lot of duty and penalty.
July 11th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Well my experience with sending items to India has been very bad, the packages get stolen and lost a lot many times, best to send insured packages to India with proper value marked on them.
July 18th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Digital Cameras have no duty on them in India, although customs may put countervailing duties, its import will be cheap.
Lappys are heavily scrutinised and dutied.
This is not legal Indian customs advice !
July 19th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Can i import the Iphone in India via post ? Will customs be able to track the Iphone, will they confiscate it ? Do i have to pay bribe to Indian customs ?
July 19th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Yes you can import Iphone, but prefer courier over post as elecs above 2000 by post can be troublesome.
If the customs catch the Iphone, they will issue a customs notice to you, usually they will assume its commercial and ask for an IEC number, bribing etc. is a very debatable topic, just follow all rules and there should be no problems.
August 2nd, 2008 at 8:59 pm
I want to import a laptop into India, should i use DHL, Fedex, UPS ? or should i use USPS and Indian Post ?
Also do i need an IEC number ? Can i pay with my Indian Rupee credit card for US Dollar purchase abroad ? , Will i violate FERA / FEMA ?
August 13th, 2008 at 11:14 am
can i send/receive cosmetics if they r marked as gift? r they prohibited?
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:41 pm
well,i actually want to import a 60 inch LCD tv….its way more cheaper in the US than in India….also there is a wider range to chose from.
now tell me
a)what is the percentage of duty that has to be paid
b)which is th best mode of import
c)is there a way to circumvent the duty
d)can i avoid th duty if it is sent/carried by someone in the US
September 8th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
I bought a set of dvd movie worth of 1900 from ebay UK . Now Indian customs is asking me to pay 4500. Is it possible for me to send back/refuse to accept the item as this is not affordable cost for me. Thanks for advice
September 8th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Hmmm, i dont think the customs send back the stuff. They mostly auction it off.
The least you can do is ask for a break up of the custom duty applied as it seems to be too much. Get in touch with a customs broker and informally ask him the duty that should be levied.
September 13th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
i want to buy knives n shurikens(throwing stars) n may be even swords(katana) , will it be alloed by customs in india? well as collectibles it shud be allowed cause logically i can get knife in every street of india?
September 13th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Hi Arpit,
I can answer on this question personally.
One of my friends had ordered imitation knives from a Hong Kong based seller, and he tells me he had to go through a lot of hassle in importing the knives.
Also if you say that they are collectibles, very high customs tax shall be levied on them.
Please consult a customs agent if you are serious about importing knives and he will tell you the nitty gritty.
September 13th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Also the street argument is not valid, you can get a wifi router on the street, but to import it we need a license from the WPC, similarly a large variety of items are in restricted list.
Please check out the list on the customs website.
September 26th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Can you tell me how much duty is given on LCD TVs imported into India ?
LCd Monitors, RAM Computers and other IT Equipment ?
October 6th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Hi,
What would be the customs duty for cosmetics shipped to India. The value would be approx.Rs.3,000 - Rs.4,000/-
Please DO NOT publish my name on the website.
Thanks.