Import Consultancy

Importing into India is a multi-agency exercise. Beyond customs, an importer typically needs to satisfy the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), the Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing (WPC), the Ministry of Steel, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the Legal Metrology department, the Central Pollution Control Board (for EPR) and the Reserve Bank of India (for foreign-exchange payments). Getting any one of these wrong stops the consignment at the port with escalating detention and demurrage charges.

The Exim Roof runs an integrated import-consultancy practice that maps every regulatory touch-point for your product category, opens the required accounts and licences before the first shipment lands, coordinates customs clearance through Customs House Agents, plans landed cost accurately, and handles the ongoing compliance — LMPC renewals, EPR returns, BIS marking, WPC ETA endorsements and everything else that keeps trade flowing.

Foundational registrations we set up

• Importer Exporter Code (IEC) — issued by DGFT, mandatory for any commercial import or export. One-time issuance, PAN-based.
• AD Code registration — at every port through which you intend to import. Enables ICEGATE flow and forex remittance.
• ICEGATE account — the online interface with Indian Customs for filing Bill of Entry and Shipping Bill.
• RCMC — Registration Cum Membership Certificate from the relevant Export Promotion Council if you want to claim export-promotion benefits.
• AEO — Authorised Economic Operator status (T1 / T2 / T3) for accelerated clearance and mutual recognition.

Product-specific approvals we handle

Depending on what you import, one or more of the following approvals will apply. Missing any single one is the most common cause of consignments being detained. Our team maps every applicable trigger before the first shipment lands.

• BIS FMCS / CRS registration for products under a mandatory QCO.
• LMPC certificate for pre-packaged retail commodities.
• CDSCO import registration for cosmetics, medical devices and drugs.
• WPC ETA for wireless products.
• AERB certification for radiation-generating devices.
• FSSAI import licence for food.
• Ministry of Steel NOC for steel imports.
• EPR registration for plastic-packaging, e-waste, battery and tyre categories.

HS classification and landed-cost planning

HS-code classification determines your Basic Customs Duty rate, IGST rate, Anti-Dumping Duty (ADD) and Countervailing Duty (CVD) exposure. A single-digit misclassification can move duty from 10% to 30% or trigger an ADD notification you were unaware of. We run classification analysis against the Customs Tariff, DGFT notifications and CBIC circulars, and prepare a landed-cost model that lets you price into the Indian market with confidence.

AEO — the trader passport

Authorised Economic Operator status is India's trade-facilitation programme for compliant importers. AEO T1 offers direct port delivery and reduced inspections. T2 adds deferred duty payment and simplified export procedures. T3 adds mutual recognition benefits with the US, EU, UK, South Korea, Japan and others. Every high-volume importer should evaluate AEO — we handle the assessment and application.

How The Exim Roof helps

• IEC, AD Code and ICEGATE setup at every intended port.
• Product-specific approval mapping (BIS / CDSCO / WPC / LMPC / FSSAI / EPR / Steel NOC).
• HS-code classification and landed-cost modelling.
• AEO T1 / T2 / T3 application and renewal.
• Customs House Agent coordination and Bill of Entry drafting.
• FEMA reporting and forex payment support for imports.
• Post-clearance compliance calendar.