India

Agreement in force · Strong coverage · Compiled 2026-07-05

32 screening rules

Labeling: 13 rules — 11 blocking, 1 conditional, 1 advisory
Additives: 5 rules — 5 blocking, 0 conditional, 0 advisory
Contaminants & residue limits: 5 rules — 5 blocking, 0 conditional, 0 advisory
Import & registration: 9 rules — 7 blocking, 1 conditional, 1 advisory

Market profile

Main food law: FSS Act 2006
Labeling regulation: FSS Labelling & Display Regs 2020 (v8 2025)
Additives and residue limits: FSS Standards & Additives Regs 2011
Import requirements: FSS Import Regs 2017 (v6 2024)
National standards body: BIS (IS) — paywalled/gated
Latest USDA FAIRS report: 2025

Certificates required

India FSSAI import licence (FICS) & foreign facility registration — Mandatory (Applies to: All food imports; facility registration for milk, meat, fish, infant food etc.)
Health certificate (food export, fit for human consumption) — Mandatory (Applies to: Specified categories (milk products, meat, fish) and per FSS (Import) Regulations)
Veterinary health certificate (products of animal origin) — Mandatory (Applies to: Livestock products under DAHD sanitary import permit)
Phytosanitary certificate (IPPC / ePhyto) — Mandatory (Applies to: Plant products under PQ Order 2003)
Fumigation certificate — Mandatory (Applies to: Grains, pulses & other listed commodities (methyl bromide))
Certificate of origin – non-preferential — Mandatory (Applies to: All imports)
UAE CEPA certificate of origin — Mandatory (Applies to: UAE-origin goods claiming India-UAE CEPA preference)
Certificate of analysis (CoA) — Commonly requested (Applies to: Imported food sampling)
HACCP certification — Commonly requested (Applies to: Manufacturers)

Import and export

Documents to import

Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Packing list — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Bill of lading / airway bill / road manifest — Issued by: Carrier — Mandatory
Customs declaration (import) — Issued by: CBIC Customs (Bill of Entry / Shipping Bill) — Mandatory
Importer / customs client registration — Issued by: DGFT (Importer-Exporter Code, IEC) — Mandatory
Certificate of origin (incl. preferential forms) — Issued by: Exporting-country chamber/customs — Conditional
FSSAI Central Licence (import) — Issued by: FSSAI — Mandatory
FSSAI import clearance NOC — Issued by: FSSAI Authorised Officer — Mandatory
Health / sanitary certificate; Integrated Veterinary Health Certificate — Issued by: Exporting-country authority — Conditional
Phytosanitary certificate / PQ import permit — Issued by: Exporting NPPO / Plant Quarantine (PQIS) — Conditional
Certificate of analysis — Issued by: ISO 17025 lab — Conditional
Non-GMO certificate — Issued by: Exporting-country authority — Conditional
Product approval (non-standardised food) — Issued by: FSSAI — Conditional
Label compliance (FSS Labelling & Display Regs 2020) & label specimen — Issued by: FSSAI — Mandatory

Documents to export

Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Packing list — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Bill of lading / airway bill — Issued by: Carrier — Mandatory
Customs export declaration — Issued by: CBIC Customs (Bill of Entry / Shipping Bill) — Mandatory
Certificate of origin (incl. preferential forms) — Issued by: EIC / chambers / DGFT eCoO — Conditional

Government fees

FSSAI import sample testing charge (Import) — 5000 INR
FSSAI import sample testing charge - infant foods / packaged water (Import) — 12000 INR
FSSAI import clearance / inspection charge (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
FSSAI Central Licence (import) (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
Review / appeal of import rejection (Import) — 2000 (review); 5000 (appeal to CEO) INR
IEC issue fee (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
Plant quarantine inspection / import permit fee (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
VAT/GST on imported food (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
EIC export certification fee (Export) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
APEDA RCMC registration (Export) — Not confirmed — check with the authority

Customs single window: ICEGATE / SWIFT + FSSAI FICS

Customs duties are not included.

A fee without a confirmed amount is listed by name only.

Official sources

Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (2006) Open the source
FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 — Compendium Version VIII (2020) Open the source
FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 — Compendium (2011) Open the source
FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 — Compendium Version VI (2017) Open the source
FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011 — Compendium (2011) Open the source
FSSAI Food Imports Manual (2023) Open the source
USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — India (IN2025-0068) (2025) Open the source
USDA FAIRS Export Certificate Report Annual — India (IN2023-0082) (2023) Open the source

Reference documents

USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — India (IN2025-0068) (2025) Open the source
USDA FAIRS Export Certificate Report Annual — India (IN2023-0082) (2023) Open the source
FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations 2020 — Compendium VIII (2020) Open the source
FSS (Import) Regulations 2017 — Compendium VI (2017) Open the source
FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011 (2011) Open the source
FSS (Licensing and Registration) Regulations 2011 (2011) Open the source
Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 (2006) Open the source
BIS Indian Standards (IS codes for food products)
FSSAI Food Imports Manual (n.d.) Open the source

Guidance compiled from published sources — not legal clearance. Confirm the requirements with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.

Screening guidance based on published standards — not legal clearance. Requirements marked "needs verification" are directional hints; confirm with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.