Import Duty on Tea in India (2026): 110%–220% + IGST
Tea under HS heading 0902 faces India's steepest consumer tariff wall: combined customs duty of 110% and beyond on the lines in our data - unsurprising for the world's second-largest tea producer. The import case is narrow and specific: Japanese matcha, gyokuro and specialty Chinese teas that India simply does not grow.
Live tariff
HS-code duty rates for tea
Showing 12 representative tariff lines of the 22 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 code | Description | Customs duty | IGST |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09021000 | Green tea | 220%BCD 100%AIDC 100%SWS 20% | 5% |
| 09023000 | Black tea | 220%BCD 100%AIDC 100%SWS 20% | 5% |
| 09021010 | Green Tea In Immediate Packings Of <= 3 Kg : Content Not Exceeding 25 G . | 110%BCD 100%SWS 10% | 5% |
| 09021020 | Green Tea In Immediate Packings Of <= 3 Kg : Content Exceeding 25 G. But Not Exceeding 1 Kg | 110%BCD 100%SWS 10% | 5% |
| 09021030 | Green Tea In Immediate Packings Of <= 3 Kg : Content Exceeding 1 Kg. But Not Exceeding 3 Kg | 110%BCD 100%SWS 10% | 5% |
| 09021090 | Green Tea In Immediate Packings Of <= 3 Kg : Other | 110%BCD 100%SWS 10% | 5% |
| 09022010 | Green Tea In Immediate Packings Of > 3 Kg : Green Tea In Packets With Contents Exceeding 3 Kg. Bu | 110%BCD 100%SWS 10% | 5% |
| 09022020 | Green Tea In Immediate Packings Of > 3 Kg : Green Tea In Bulk | 110%BCD 100%SWS 10% | 5% |
| 09022030 | Green Tea In Immediate Packings Of > 3 Kg : Green Tea Agglomerated In Forms Such As Ball, Brick A | 110%BCD 100%SWS 10% | 5% |
| 09022040 | Green Tea In Immediate Packings Of > 3 Kg : Green Tea Waste | 110%BCD 100%SWS 10% | 5% |
| 09022090 | Green Tea In Immediate Packings Of > 3 Kg : Other | 110%BCD 100%SWS 10% | 5% |
| 09023010 | Black Fermented Tea And Partly Fermented Tea, Whether Or Not Flavoured, In Immediate Packings Of | 110%BCD 100%SWS 10% | 5% |
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 4,000 of tea costs to land in India
Step by step, using the representative rate for this category (110% duty on HS 09021010, 5% IGST). Your exact rate depends on the precise HS code in the table above.
- Tea (goods value)
- INR 4,000
- International freight (illustrative, 10% of goods)
- INR 400
- Assessable value (CIF = goods + freight)
- INR 4,400
- Customs duty (110% of CIF, HS 09021010)
- INR 4,840
- IGST (5% of CIF + duty)
- INR 462
- Estimated landed cost
- INR 9,702
Note for businesses: the IGST portion (INR 462 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 tea
Duty of 110%+ doubles the cost of any imported tea at the border - treat imports as luxury purchases, not grocery runs.
Tea is an FSSAI-regulated food import; small personal parcels clear informally.
Ceremonial matcha degrades fast after opening - import sealed tins in quantities you will consume within months.
Teaware (kyusu, gaiwans, kettles) classifies under ceramics/housewares at moderate duty - gear imports are far more economical than leaf imports.
What we ship
Popular tea imports
Ceremonial matcha (Ippodo, Marukyu Koyamaen)
Gyokuro
Aged puerh cakes
Taiwanese high-mountain oolong
Genmaicha
Silver needle white tea
Tea import questions, answered
How much duty does imported tea attract in India?+
Is importing Japanese matcha worth it?+
Can I bring tea back from Japan or China in luggage?+
Does the 110% duty apply to teaware too?+
Import tea 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.