iWishBag
HS 92

Import Duty on Musical Instruments in India (2026): 11%–12.1% + IGST

Musical instruments under HS Chapter 92 enjoy one of India's friendlier tariff regimes: combined customs duty of just 11-12.1% across pianos, guitars, synths and wind instruments, plus 18% IGST. With Indian music retail carrying thin stock and steep markups on anything beyond entry level, instrument imports are consistently good value.

Calculate My Import Cost Start an Order

Live tariff

HS-code duty rates for musical instruments

Showing 12 representative tariff lines of the 20 that match this category. The duty column is the combined customs rate (BCD plus AIDC and SWS, all charged on the assessable value); IGST is then applied on the duty-inclusive amount.

HS codeDescriptionCustoms dutyIGST
92011000Musical Instruments (Piano, Guitar, Violins, etc)11%BCD 10%SWS 1%18%
92012000Grand Pianos11%BCD 10%SWS 1%18%
92019000Keyboard pipe organs, accordions, clarinets, trumpets, bagpipers11%BCD 10%SWS 1%18%
92021000Drums, xylophones, cymbals, castanets11%BCD 10%SWS 1%18%
92029000Guitars, Harps And Other String Musical Instruments (Excl. With Keyboard And Those Played With A Bow11%BCD 10%SWS 1%18%
92029200Parts of musical instruments12.1%BCD 10%AIDC 1%SWS 1.1%18%
92051000Brass-Wind Instruments11%BCD 10%SWS 1%18%
92060000Percussion Musical Instruments, E.G. Drums, Xylophones, Cymbals, Castanets, Maracas11%BCD 10%SWS 1%18%
92071000Keyboard Instruments, The Sound Of Which Is Produced, Or Must Be Amplified, Electrically (Excl. Acco11%BCD 10%SWS 1%18%
92079000Accordions And Musical Instruments Without Keyboards, The Sound Of Which Is Produced, Or Must Be Amp11%BCD 10%SWS 1%18%
92081000Musical Boxes11%BCD 10%SWS 1%18%
92089000Fairground Organs, Mechanical Street Organs, Mechanical Singing Birds, Musical Saws And Other Musica11%BCD 10%SWS 1%18%

Rates are the tariff we apply when quoting real shipments; anti-dumping duty, where notified for a specific product and origin, is charged in addition.

Worked example

What INR 80,000 of musical instruments costs to land in India

Step by step, using the representative rate for this category (11% duty on HS 92011000, 18% IGST). Your exact rate depends on the precise HS code in the table above.

Musical Instruments (goods value)
INR 80,000
International freight (illustrative, 10% of goods)
INR 8,000
Assessable value (CIF = goods + freight)
INR 88,000
Customs duty (11% of CIF, HS 92011000)
INR 9,680
IGST (18% of CIF + duty)
INR 17,582
Estimated landed cost
INR 1,15,262

Note for businesses: the IGST portion (INR 17,582 here) is creditable as input tax credit if you are GST-registered; the customs duty portion is not. Freight is illustrative - use the calculator for a quote with real shipping on your actual item.

Before you order

What to know about importing musical instruments

  • Flat, low duty band (11-12.1%) across the whole chapter - one of the most import-friendly consumer categories.

  • 18% IGST on the duty-inclusive value; total tax roughly 31-33% over CIF.

  • Guitars and stringed instruments need humidity-safe, rigid packing - we insist on hard cases or factory cartons for the international leg.

  • Vintage instruments containing Brazilian rosewood or ivory trigger CITES paperwork - check materials on pre-1990s pieces before buying.

What we ship

Popular musical instruments imports

Fender/Squier guitars (US and Japan lines)

Yamaha and Roland keyboards

Korg and Behringer synths

Ukuleles

Saxophones and flutes

Effects pedals

Audio interfaces

Musical Instruments import questions, answered

What is the import duty on a guitar shipped to India?+
Musical instruments attract just 11-12.1% combined customs duty plus 18% IGST - about 31-33% total tax over CIF, among the lowest for consumer goods. A Fender Player Stratocaster from a US sale frequently lands 15-25% below Indian street price even after tax and freight.
Are synthesizers and audio gear taxed as instruments?+
Keyboard instruments and synths classify within Chapter 92 at the same low rates. Studio peripherals - audio interfaces, monitors, microphones - classify under electronics headings with their own (also moderate) rates. A mixed studio order is assessed line by line; all of it imports economically.
How risky is shipping a guitar internationally?+
Managed properly, low: hard case or factory box, detuned strings, padded headstock, and a carrier with instrument experience. We photograph instruments at intake and pack to touring standard. Temperature swings matter more than handling for solid-wood acoustics - avoid the cheapest slow routes.
What about vintage instruments and CITES?+
Pre-CITES instruments containing Brazilian rosewood, ivory nuts/saddles or tortoiseshell need CITES documentation to cross borders legally - this catches vintage Martins and older Indian imports both ways. Modern instruments use compliant materials and ship freely.

Related duty guides

Import duty on sports equipment

HS 9506

Import duty on pet food & supplies

HS 2309

Import duty on mobile phones

HS 851712, 851713, 851714

All India duty categoriesImport cost calculatorShip to India with iWishBag

Import musical instruments without customs surprises

Send us the product link. We quote goods, freight, the exact per-HSN duty and IGST as one all-in landed price - then buy, ship and clear it for you.

Start an Order Try the Calculator