B2B Trade & Import-Export
Cross-border trade, compliance, documentation
What Is Custom Duty? Types, Calculation and How to Pay It in 2026
Customs duty is the tax Indian Customs charges on goods crossing the border. On imports you pay it before your cargo is released, no payment, no Out of Charge, no delivery. It is calculated on the assessable value of the shipment, not the invoice value, and it is almost never a single tax. That last point is where most importers lose money. You budget for "20% duty," the Bill of Entry lands at 44%, and the difference was sitting in three separate line items you didn't know were stacked on top o
What Is a Merchanting Trade Transaction? The 2026 Guide to RBI Rules, FEMA Compliance & What Changes on 1 October
A merchanting trade transaction is a trade where an Indian entity buys goods from a seller in one foreign country and sells them to a buyer in another foreign country, with the goods shipping directly between those two countries and never entering India's Domestic Tariff Area. The Indian party is a principal, not a broker, it takes title, takes the risk, and keeps the margin between the import leg and the export leg. Merchanting trade is regulated by the Reserve Bank of India under FEMA, and bot
High Sea Sales in India (2026): Meaning, GST Treatment & Where to Report It
A high sea sale is the sale of imported goods while they are still in transit, after the shipment has left the foreign port and before it is cleared for home consumption in India. Ownership passes by endorsing the bill of lading to the new buyer, who then becomes the importer of record, files the Bill of Entry in their own name and pays the customs duty and IGST. Two things about high sea sales changed after most of the standard explanations were written, and both change what you actually do. S
How to Check Bill of Entry Status Online on ICEGATE Portal
In India, importers must comply with various customs procedures before their goods can be cleared. One of the most important documents in this process is the Bill of Entry (BOE). After filing a BOE, importers often ask: How do I check my Bill of Entry status online? The ICEGATE portal (Indian Customs Electronic Gateway) provides a quick and easy way to track your BOE status. In this guide, we’ll explain the meaning of Bill of Entry, what changed under ICEGATE 2.0, the step-by-step process to ch
How to Check Shipping Bill Status on ICEGATE: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)
Shipping Bill Status is the real-time customs clearance progress of your export shipment than can be tracked through ICEGATE (Indian Customs Electronic Gateway) . After your CHA files a Shipping Bill (export declaration) with Indian Customs, the SB (Shipping Bill) status shows whether your goods are approved, under processing, cleared for export (LEO granted), or if EGM has been filed by the shipping line. Tracking Shipping Bill status on ICEGATE is critical because it determines when your shi
How to Apply IEC Code (2026): Full Form, Check Status and Renew It - Step by Step Process
IEC stands for Importer-Exporter Code, Before 2017 it used to be a 10-digit unique identification number but after introduction of GST in 2017 the Importer-Exporter Code for firms in India became the same as their PAN (Permanent Account Number), though you still need to apply it via the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Without an IEC, no shipment can legally clear customs, and no government trade incentives can be accessed for import ex