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Items That Cannot Be Imported into India

Are you unsure whether or not an article may be imported? Don't worry, we've got you covered with this article. Continue reading to learn more about the products that the DGFT has declared illegal to bring into the country.

All the items covered in this article are non-exhaustive and subject to change as per conditions made by the government. The purpose of this list is to give you an overall idea of the items prohibited for import, which may or may not change as per subsequent government notifications and amendments.

Introduction

Several products from different countries around the world make their way into India every year. As a country, we import billions of products via various methods such as air, rail, and waterways. Know about the Items That Cannot Be Imported into India.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade is the governing body for all the import-export activity that happens in India. The Importer Exporter Code (IEC Number) as laid down by the DGFT is used to legally sanction the purchase or sale of such items. Here’s a look at all the items the DGFT has prohibited from being imported into India.

The DGFT maintains a record of all the articles that may be imported to India. On this list is a category of items that should not be imported to our country under any circumstance. Failure to comply with the norms stated in this list can lead to severe repercussions. This is why every seller or manufacturer who imports and exports goods to and from India must be aware of the items on these lists. 

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Items Prohibited from Being Imported into India

The items mentioned below have been sourced from the list of the prohibited articles as seen under Schedule 1 of the ITC(HS) classifications of Items. However, sellers and manufacturers are advised to cross-check the list before finalising the import of any item to ensure that it is not present on the list.

Check Here to More about: https://www.india.gov.in/topics/commerce/import

Restricted Domestic Animals

  • 0101 10 10- Horses
  • 0101 10 20- Asses
  • 0101 90 10- Polo Horses 
  • 0101 90 20- Mules and hinnies livestock
  • 0102 10 10- Adult Bulls
  • 0102 10 20- Adult Cows
  • 0102 10 30- Adult Buffaloes and calves
  • 0103 10 00- Purebred breeding animals
  • 0104 10 10- Sheep or lamb for breeding 
  • 0104 20 00- Goats
  • 0105 11 00- Any member of the species Gallus domesticus except grandparent poultry 
  • 0105 12 00 -Turkeys except for Grandparent stock 

Restricted Wild Animals

  • 0106 11 00- Primates as per Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 
  • 0106 12 00- Whales, dolphins, manatees and dugongs as per Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
  • 0106 20 00- Reptiles as per Import Licensing Note No. 6 in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 
  • 0106 31 00- Birds of prey
  • 0106 32 00- Psittaciformes as per Import Licensing Note No. 6 in the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 
  • 0106 90 10- Bees and other insects
  • 0201 10 00/0202 10 00- Chilled or frozen carcasses and half-carcasses
  • 0201 20 00/0202 20 00- Chilled or frozen bone 
  • 0201 30 00/0202 30 00- Chilled or frozen Boneless 
  • 0206 21 00- Tongues
  • 0206 22 00- Livers
  • 0206 30 00- Edible affal
  • 0210 20 00- Meat of bovine animals
  • 0301 10 00- Ornamental Fish
  • 0301 91 00- Trout 
  • 0301 92 00- Eels 
  • 0301 93 00-Carp
  • 0301 94 00- Bluefin tunas
  • 0301 95 00- Southern bluefin tunas 
  • 0407 00 10- Eggs of gallus domesticus 
  • 0410 00 20- Turtle eggs and salanganes’ nests 
  • 0511 10 00- Bovine semen

Restricted Plants

  • 0601 20 90- Chicory plants and roots as per Plants, Quarantine (Regulation of Imports into India) Order, 2003.
  • 0602 20 20- Cactus as per Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora 
  • 0701 10 00-Potatoes

Restricted Seeds

  • 0909 10 11- Anise As per Licensing note (2) in Policy on Seed Development, 1988 and as per Plants, Fruits and Seeds (Regulation of import into India) Order, 1989.
  • 0909 10 21- Badian
  • 0909 20 10- Coriander
  • 0909 30 11- Black Cumin
  • 0909 30 21- Other Cumin
  • 0909 40 10- Caraway
  • 0909 50 11- Fennel
  • 0909 50 21- Juniper Berries
  • 1001 90 31-Meslin
  • 1002 00 10- Rye
  • 1003 00 10- Barley
  • 1004 00 10- Oats  
  • 1005 10 00- Maize
  • 1006 10 10- Rice  
  • 1007 00 10- Sorghum
  • 1008 10 10- Buckwheat
  • 1008 20 11- Jawar
  • 1008 20 21- Bajra
  • 1008 20 31- Ragi 
  • 1008 30 10- Canary 
  • 1201 00 10- Soybeans
  • 1202 10 91- Groundnut
  • 1204 00 10- Linseed
  • 1207 20 10- Cotton
  • 1207 40 10- Sesamum
  • 1207 50 10- Mustard
  • 1209 10 00- Sugar beet 
  • 1209 91 40- Seeds of fruits except for Pomegranate 

Others

  • Ginger
  • Poppy
  • Durum Wheat
  • Flour
  • Roots and tubers of dried leguminous vegetables
  • Coca leaf 
  • Poppy
  • Jojoba 
  • Serpentina Roots 
  • Agarwood
  • Opium Restricted

Restricted Materials

  • 2514 00 00- Slate as per  Policy Circular No.12,13,20,25,28,65 and 67
  • 2515 11 00- Marble and travertine Blocks, slabs or otherwise
  • 2515 20 90- Ecaussine and other calcareous stone 
  • 2516 20 00- Sandstone
  • 2516 90 10- Pakur stone

Restricted Hazardous Substances

  • 2524 90 14- Amosite as per Convention on the PIC procedure for hazardous chemicals and pesticides.
  • 2612 10 00-Uranium ores and concentrates as per Atomic Energy Act, 1962 
  • 2612 20 00- Thorium ores and concentrates
  • 2615 90 20- Niobium tantalum ores and concentrates
  • 2844 30 21- Thorium oxide
  • 2844 30 22- Thorium hydroxide
  • 2844 30 23- Thorium nitrate
  • 2844 50 00- Spent fuel elements and cartridges for nuclear reactors
  • 2845 10 00- Heavy water (deuterium oxide)

Restricted Pollutants

  • 2903 14 00- Carbon tetrachloride as per “Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete Ozone Layer”.  
  • 2903 19 20- Trichloroethane
  • 2903 41 00- Trichlorofluoro methane
  • 2903 42 00- Dichlorodifluoromethane
  • 2903 43 00- Trichlorotrifluoroethanes
  • 2903 44 10- 1,2 Dichlorotetra-fluoro ethane
  • 2903 44 20- Chloropenta fluoro ethane, Chlorotrifluoro-methane, Pentachloro fluoro ethane, Tetrachlorodi-fluoroethane, Heptachlorodi-fluoropropane, Hexachlorodi-fluoropropane, Pentachlorotri-fluoropropane, Tetrachlorotetra-fluoropropane.

Restricted Chemicals

  • DDT-Technical 75 Wdp
  • Ethchlorvynol (INN, Acetic anhydride, Amfetamine (INN)
  • Benzfetamine- Dexamfetamine
  • Dextropropoxyphene(INN) and its salts
  • Fenproporex (INN) and its salts
  • Levorphanol (INN) and its salts
  • Allobarbital (INN), amobarbital (INN), barbital (INN), butalbital (INN), butobarbital (INN), cyclobarbital (INN), methylphenobarbital (INN), pentobarbital (INN), secbutabarbital (INN), secobarbital (INN), and vinylbital (INN)
  • Ephedrine alkaloids
  • Polychlorinated biphenyls
  • Gunpowder industrial explosives
  • Detonating fuses
  • Fireworks.

Restricted Miscellaneous Items

  • 4403 99 22- SandalWood as per Policy Circular No. 1 (RE-06) / 2004-09 dated 7.4.2006 
  • 4801 00 10- Newsprint, in rolls or sheets 
  • 4802 55 50- Bank, bond and cheque paper, paper for security printing, currency paper, stamp paper
  • 4802 55 60- Currency note paper
  • 4907 00 20- Banknotes
  • 6309 00 00- Worn clothing and rags

Restricted Waste & Scrap

  • 7503 00 90 Nickel 
  • 7802 00 90 Lead
  • 7902 00 90 Zinc 
  • 8002 00 90 Tin
  • 8101 97 00 Tungsten
  • 8102 97 00 Molybdenum
  • 8103 30 00 Tantalum
  • 8104 20 90 Magnesium
  • 8105 30 00 Cobalt
  • 8106 00 20 Bismuth and bismuth alloys
  • 8107 30 00 Cadmium
  • 8108 30 00 Titanium
  • 8109 30 00 Zirconium
  • 8110 20 00 Antimony
  • 8112 13 00 Beryllium
  • 8112 22 00 Chromium
  • 8112 52 00 Thallium
  • 8401 40 00 Parts of Nuclear reactors
  • 8525 50 40 Communication jamming equipment
  • 8526 10 00 Radar apparatus 
  • 8801 00 20 Balloons

Restricted Goods

  • Helicopters
  • Aeroplanes
  • Spacecraft (including satellites)
  • Warships
  • Self-propelled Artillery weapons
  • Rocket launchers; flame throwers; grenade launchers; torpedo tubes, revolvers or pistols and cartridges.

Restricted Luxury Items

  • Worked tortoise-shell
  • Mother of pearl
  • Bone (excluding whalebone)
  • Horn
  • Coral and other animal carving materials
  • Stuffed animals and birds (taxidermy)
  • Ivory
  • Unrendered fats
  • Sperm oil
  • Exotic oils.

Prohibited Items for Import in India

Every year, numerous countries transport billions of goods into India via air, sea, and road routes. The regulation of all imports and exports falls under the jurisdiction of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), necessitating an Importer Exporter Code (IEC) for all traders. DGFT maintains a catalog of items prohibited for import into India, which cannot be imported under any circumstances. Thus, it is imperative for all individuals engaged in import-export operations to acquaint themselves with this list.

List of Items Prohibited for Import Into India

  • Other fresh, chilled, or frozen meat and edible offal from wild animals
  • Fresh, chilled, or frozen pig fat devoid of lean meat and poultry fat, not rendered or otherwise processed, including salted, brined, dried, or smoked
  • Edible animal products not classified elsewhere from wild animals
  • Natural food casings made from the guts of other wild animals
  • Guts from wild animals not intended for natural food casings
  • Bladders and stomachs from wild animals
  • Feathers suitable for stuffing from wild birds; wild bird down
  • Feathers from wild birds not intended for stuffing
  • Feather powder or waste from wild birds
  • Various parts and skins from wild birds
  • Crushed bones, including horn cores, from wild animals
  • Bone grist from wild animals
  • Ossein from wild animals
  • Un-crushed bones, horn cones, and parts thereof from wild animals
  • Bone meal from wild animals
  • Other items not permitted for import from wild animals include
  •  Ivory
  • Ivory powder and waste
  • Ambergris, castoreum, civet, musk, cantharides, bile, and dried glands
  • Fish nails, fishtails, other fish waste, sinews, and tendons of wildlife
  • Frozen semen other than bovine embryo from wildlife, pig fats, poultry fats, 
  • Mutton tallow, unrendered fats excluding mutton tallow, rendered or solvent-extracted fats
  • Fats from bovine animals, sheep, or goats, excluding those of heading 1503, 
  • Lard stearin, lard oil, oleostearin, oleo-oil, and tallow oil not prepared or mixed, fats and oils from fish or marine mammals, sperm oil, fats and oils from fish other than liver oils, fats and oils from marine mammals
  • Neatsfoot oil and fats from bone or waste, other animal fats and oils, margarine of animal origin, imitation lard of animal origin, boiled, oxidized, dehydrated
  • Sulfurized, blown, polymerised animal or vegetable fats and oils, excluding those of heading 1516
  • Inedible mixtures or preparations of animal or vegetable fats or oils, degras, soap stocks, microbial rennet, animal rennet, tiger-cat skins, apparel and accessories from wild animals under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972
  • Other fur skin articles from wild animals under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972,
  • Telecommunications equipment, including mobile handsets, without proper identification numbers or codes
  • Importing worked ivory or articles made from ivory is also prohibited.

Types of Goods Cannot Be Sent as Gifts or Commercial Samples Through Couriers

All items prohibited under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992, are strictly forbidden for importation into India, including gifts or commercial samples. Examples of such prohibited items include wild animals, wild birds, their parts, narcotic drugs such as opium and marijuana, ivory, as well as firearms like revolvers, pistols, and ammunition.

Procedure to Send Magazines/Books Containing Maps of India

Ordinary senders lack the means to verify if magazines or books with maps accurately depict India’s boundaries. Hence, it’s advisable to mark or write across the map(s) stating that it may not accurately represent India’s boundaries, ensuring precautionary measures.

Sending Jewellery to Any Manufacturer in India as a Sample

Importing or sending gold jewellery or studded jewellery, including samples, to regular individuals in India via courier is prohibited. Yet, units in export processing zones or Export Oriented Units can import gems and jewellery, including samples, through an authorised courier. Nonetheless, all units can export jewellery and its samples through courier services.

Conclusion 

understanding the restricted items that cannot be imported into India is crucial for businesses and individuals engaged in international trade. The Customs regulations and guidelines provide a comprehensive list of prohibited goods, ranging from certain chemicals and hazardous materials to specific wildlife products and cultural artifacts. Adhering to these restrictions not only ensures compliance with legal frameworks but also contributes to national security, environmental conservation, and cultural preservation.Get in touch with the experts at Vakilsearch for professional guidance on items prohibited from being imported

Frequently Asked Questions

What can not be imported in India?

Certain items prohibited for import into India include hazardous waste, obscene materials, and goods infringing patents or trademarks

What is banned in India for import?

Importation of narcotics, counterfeit currency, and certain types of weapons is banned in India to maintain national security and public safety.

What are you not allowed to bring to India?

India restricts the importation of goods like satellite phones, certain medications, and hazardous chemicals to protect public health and safety.

What are the restricted items for import?

Restricted imports in India encompass items like animal products, certain electronics, and specific pharmaceuticals, subject to stringent regulations to safeguard domestic industries and ecosystems.

What is an illegal import?

Illegal imports in India refer to smuggling prohibited goods like endangered species, counterfeit products, and pirated software, which circumvent customs regulations and evade taxation.

Why India banned import of laptops?

India may ban the importation of laptops to promote domestic manufacturing, boost the economy, and reduce dependency on foreign technology, aligning with broader industrial and economic strategies.

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