Asia
Container Shipping from the UK to India
Nhava Sheva and Mundra give full national coverage, with strong LCL consolidation volumes for smaller and more frequent consignments.
Container shipping from the UK to India runs full container load to Nhava Sheva (JNPT) (INNSA) and Mundra (INMUN). Less than container load runs to Nhava Sheva (JNPT), Delhi and Amritsar. Sea transit is 22–28 days port to port and air freight 1–3 days. We collect from any UK address and handle UK export clearance; customs charges in India are not included.
Where we ship
Ports in India
Full container load goes to Nhava Sheva (JNPT) and Mundra. Groupage reaches Nhava Sheva (JNPT), Delhi and Amritsar — the inland points are served by road from the arrival port. Select a port for its location, code and indicative transit.
- UK door
- UK port
- Nhava Sheva (JNPT) or Mundra
Packed and sealed at your premises, then straight to the port — usually Felixstowe.
- UK door
- UK loading warehouse
- Nhava Sheva (JNPT)
- Delhi or Amritsar
Consolidated first at our UK loading warehouses: Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Essex, Glasgow, Manchester or Newcastle.
Get a price for India
The three modes are quoted separately — they are priced on different things entirely: a container, a cubic metre and a kilo.
Indicative pricing
Starting points for sea freight from the UK, not port-specific figures — the rate for your shipment depends on the arrival port, the sailing and the commodity. Customs charges, duty and taxes in India are payable there and are not included.
| Service | From | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| FCL — 20ft General Purpose | £1,400.00 | per 20ft container |
| FCL — 40ft General Purpose | £2,200.00 | per 40ft container |
| LCL groupage | £72.00 | per cubic metre |
| Air freight | Please check with our team | per 100kg chargeable weight |
These are starting prices for the freight, not shipment totals. A groupage rate is what one cubic metre of cargo costs, so a 10 cubic metre consignment costs roughly ten times the figure shown. Figures are indicative, in GBP, and cover the sea freight from the UK only — customs charges, duty and taxes in the destination country are payable there and are not included. Your firm quote depends on the exact route, the cargo and the sailing.
What can you ship to India?
Machinery and industrial equipment, scientific and laboratory instruments, automotive components, chemicals in packaged form, and branded consumer goods move through Nhava Sheva and Mundra as routine groupage cargo.
Cargo needs to be palletised, shrink-wrapped and labelled with the consignee, because groupage is handled several times between your loading bay and the delivery address. Anything containing lithium batteries, aerosols, paints, solvents or compressed gas needs declaring at booking — it usually still travels, it just changes the packing and the paperwork rather than simply the price.
What tax and duty applies on import into India?
India charges IGST at a standard rate of 18%, charged on the assessable value plus Basic Customs Duty, with GST rates of 5, 12, 18 or 28% depending on the goods. Customs duty is separate and runs at Basic Customs Duty typically 0–20%, plus surcharges, set by the commodity code of the specific goods.
India stacks its charges rather than applying one rate: Basic Customs Duty first, then a Social Welfare Surcharge of 10% of that duty, then IGST on the total. The effective landed rate is therefore well above the headline GST figure. Your consignee must hold an Importer Exporter Code (IEC) from the DGFT and have an AD Code registered at the port of arrival, or the Bill of Entry cannot be filed at all.
What are the import restrictions in India?
Four things are worth checking before you book rather than after the vessel sails.
What documents do I need to import into India?
These cover the far end of the journey and belong to your consignee. We prepare and file the transport and commercial paperwork, but their own registrations are issued to them by their own authorities and cannot be obtained on their behalf.
What documents do you need in the UK to export?
A second, separate set of paperwork — and this one is yours rather than your consignee's. It is the part first-time exporters are most often caught by, because the destination requirements get all the attention and the British side looks like a formality until it stops a booking.
Duty depends on the commodity code of the specific goods, and rates change. This is general guidance, not tax or legal advice. Customs charges, duty and taxes in the destination country are payable there and are not included in our freight quote. Rates last reviewed .
Shipping to India: FAQs
How long does shipping from the UK to India take?
Sea freight runs about 22–28 days port to port, and air freight 1–3 days airport to airport. Nhava Sheva (JNPT) is the quickest sea gateway on this lane at around 22 days. These are indicative figures measured port to port; the transit for your exact collection address and delivery address, including the inland legs at both ends, is confirmed at quote stage.
Which ports do you ship to in India?
We move cargo through 2 ports in India: Nhava Sheva (JNPT) (INNSA), Mundra (INMUN). Full container load goes to Nhava Sheva (JNPT) and Mundra. Groupage runs to Nhava Sheva (JNPT), Delhi and Amritsar, the inland points served by road from the arrival port. Each port page lists its location, code and indicative transit.
Do you handle customs clearance for India?
We handle the UK side: we file your export declaration with HMRC against your GB EORI number and raise the transport and commercial documents that travel with the shipment. Customs charges in India — duty, import tax and any local clearance fees — are payable there by the consignee and are not included in our rates, unless you have agreed a DDP Incoterm that puts them on you. Budget for them separately; they are the most common reason a landed cost comes in above the freight quote.
What should I know before shipping on the India lane?
Much of the country's inland cargo is handled at container depots rather than at the quay itself, so delivery to an inland destination adds a leg after port clearance. Ask for the door transit rather than the port transit if your consignee is not on the coast. Cargo commonly moving on this lane includes industrial machinery and equipment, chemicals and intermediates, precision instruments and components.
Compare lanes
Other countries we ship to and from
Rates and transit times for countries near India — each one works as an origin or a destination.
China
Import & export · Shanghai
LCL from
£95.00
per cubic metre
32+ days
View lane
Singapore
Import & export · Singapore
LCL from
£90.00
per cubic metre
26+ days
View lane
South Korea
Import & export · Busan
LCL from
£98.00
per cubic metre
30+ days
View lanePlan the rest of the move
Shipping to India? Get a quote.
Any country to any country, import or export — send us the origin, destination and cargo details and we'll come back with a competitive rate within one business day.