Imports & ExportsStart exporting

Machinery and parts

Import cnc and machine tools

Machining centres, CNC lathes and laser cutters pay 7.5% BCD and 18% IGST; Japan and China are the main suppliers.

Free to importHS 8457
Basic customs duty
7.5%
7.5%
Social welfare surcharge
10% of BCD
IGST
18%
18%
India’s imports, 2025-26
US$ 1.87 bn
from 66 countries

The CBIC Customs Tariff lists most lines of headings 8456 to 8461 (laser, plasma, water-jet and EDM machines, machining centres, CNC lathes, milling, grinding and sawing machines) at 7.5%; some semiconductor-specific lines are Free. Indian machine-tool makers get 2.5% on ball screws, linear motion guides and CNC systems (S. Nos. 267–269 of Notification 45/2025-Customs, extended to 31 March 2028). IGST is 18% (Schedule II, headings 8456 to 8461). Under EPCG, exporters can import capital goods at zero duty against an export obligation. CBIC — Customs Tariff of India (import tariff, chapter PDFs) ↗

What is imported

Auto-component makers, tool rooms, job shops and sheet-metal units import CNC machining centres, lathes, laser cutters, grinders and similar machines. Imports under 8456 to 8461 were about US$ 1,866 million in 2025-26, led by Japan, China, Germany, South Korea and Taiwan (TradeStat).

Import policy · Free to import

Free under ITC(HS) Schedule 1 for new machines. Second-hand machines are allowed subject to the Foreign Trade Policy conditions for second-hand capital goods.

Licences and registrations you need

  • DGFT (EPCG authorisation)Optional: exporters can get an EPCG authorisation to import machines at zero customs duty, in return for an export obligation.dgft.gov.in ↗
  • BIS (machinery safety)Check the current status of the Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety (Omnibus Technical Regulation) Order on the BIS site; its enforcement dates have changed more than once.bis.gov.in ↗

What is checked at the port

  • Correct heading by machine function (machining centre, lathe, laser, grinder).
  • For used machines: year of manufacture, residual life and value, usually backed by an inspection or chartered engineer's certificate.
  • Value of accessories, tooling and software shipped with the machine.

Practical tips

  • Ask for a factory acceptance test and a video run-off on your own sample part before shipping.
  • Confirm the supplier has service engineers and spares in India.
  • Pay through a letter of credit with installation and acceptance milestones.

Where new importers go wrong

  • Buying a cheap used machine without checking controller support and spare parts.
  • Missing an EPCG export obligation and having to pay the saved duty with interest.
Sources (7)
  1. CBIC — Customs Tariff of India (import tariff, chapter PDFs)
  2. CBIC — Notification 45/2025-Customs dated 24.10.2025 (effective BCD rates, in force 1.11.2025)
  3. Notification 02/2026-Customs dated 01.02.2026 (amends 45/2025-Customs)
  4. CBIC — Notification 9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate), in force 22.09.2025
  5. Bureau of Indian Standards — product certification and Quality Control Orders
  6. DGFT — ITC(HS) import policy (Schedule 1)
  7. Commerce Ministry TradeStat — commodity-wise imports by country (FY 2025-26)

Import data

Where India buys cnc and machine tools

India’s imports from the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, financial years.

Imports, 2025-26
US$ 1.87 bn
Change from 2024-25
+11.6%
Supplying countries
66
Biggest supplier
Japan
24%
Japan: US$ 445 mnChina: US$ 405 mnGermany: US$ 264 mnSouth Korea: US$ 128 mnTaiwan: US$ 116 mnItaly: US$ 99.3 mnUnited States of America: US$ 59.8 mnThailand: US$ 44.7 mnSingapore: US$ 43.4 mnSwitzerland: US$ 39.5 mnBelgium: US$ 34.4 mnNetherlands: US$ 28.7 mnSpain: US$ 27.7 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 26.4 mnHong Kong: US$ 14.6 mnJapan: US$ 445 mnJapanChina: US$ 405 mnGermany: US$ 264 mnGermanySouth Korea: US$ 128 mnTaiwan: US$ 116 mnTaiwanItaly: US$ 99.3 mnItalyUnited States of America: US$ 59.8 mnUnited States of AmericaThailand: US$ 44.7 mnThailandSingapore: US$ 43.4 mnSwitzerland: US$ 39.5 mnBelgium: US$ 34.4 mnNetherlands: US$ 28.7 mnSpain: US$ 27.7 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 26.4 mnHong Kong: US$ 14.6 mnIndia
Where India imports cnc and machine tools from — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 864 mn8642020-212021-22: US$ 1.1 bn1.1k2021-222022-23: US$ 1.29 bn1.3k2022-232023-24: US$ 1.52 bn1.5k2023-242024-25: US$ 1.67 bn1.7k2024-252025-26: US$ 1.87 bn1.9k2025-26
India’s cnc and machine tools imports · US$ million

Biggest supplying countries

Name2025-26Change
1JapanUS$ 445 mn+18.8%
2ChinaUS$ 405 mn+27.8%
3GermanyUS$ 264 mn+23.1%
4South KoreaUS$ 128 mn-1.8%
5TaiwanUS$ 116 mn+1.9%
6ItalyUS$ 99.3 mn-17.1%
7United States of AmericaUS$ 59.8 mn-23.6%
8ThailandUS$ 44.7 mn-7.2%
9SingaporeUS$ 43.4 mn+20.6%
10SwitzerlandUS$ 39.5 mn+16.8%
11BelgiumUS$ 34.4 mn-15.7%
12NetherlandsUS$ 28.7 mn+41.1%

Which sources are growing and shrinking

Growing sources

  1. SpainUS$ 18.6 mn → US$ 27.7 mn+48.8%
  2. NetherlandsUS$ 20.3 mn → US$ 28.7 mn+41.1%
  3. ChinaUS$ 317 mn → US$ 405 mn+27.8%
  4. GermanyUS$ 214 mn → US$ 264 mn+23.1%
  5. SingaporeUS$ 36 mn → US$ 43.4 mn+20.6%
  6. JapanUS$ 374 mn → US$ 445 mn+18.8%

Shrinking sources

  1. United States of AmericaUS$ 78.2 mn → US$ 59.8 mn-23.6%
  2. ItalyUS$ 120 mn → US$ 99.3 mn-17.1%
  3. BelgiumUS$ 40.7 mn → US$ 34.4 mn-15.7%

Which forms come in, and at what price

Imports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Machining centres horizontal8457 10 10US$ 316 mn+43%2.2 mn piecesUS$ 143.23 per piece
Machining centres - vertical8457 10 20US$ 248 mn+18.3%36k piecesUS$ 6849.87 per piece
Horizontal lathes,numerically controlled8458 11 00US$ 176 mn-0.6%18k piecesUS$ 9607.74 per piece
Mchn-tolls for wrkng any matrl by rmvl of matrl operated by laser8456 11 00US$ 169 mn+30.1%9k piecesUS$ 19882.62 per piece
Other numerically controlled lathes8458 91 00US$ 56.9 mn+24.4%435 piecesUS$ 130804.60 per piece
Other cylindrical grinding machines, numerically controlled8460 23 00US$ 54.9 mn-12.8%376 piecesUS$ 145877.66 per piece
Others-of-others-of-machtools for deburng,sharpn,grindg, polishing ...8460 29 90US$ 47.6 mn+2.2%24k piecesUS$ 1951.94 per piece
Mchn-tools oprtd by elctro-dschrg prcess8456 30 00US$ 44.5 mn-10.6%72k piecesUS$ 619.15 per piece
Others-of-other machine-tools of hd 84608460 90 90US$ 40.5 mn+20.7%266k piecesUS$ 152.52 per piece
Other gear finishing machines8461 40 29US$ 30.7 mn-41.2%3k piecesUS$ 9275.80 per piece
Others-of-others-of-mchn-tolls for wrkng any matrl by rmvl ofmatrl,b...8456 90 90US$ 28 mn-10.4%300k piecesUS$ 93.44 per piece
Other multi-station transfer machines8457 30 90US$ 28 mn+6.8%1k piecesUS$ 21455.94 per piece

Source: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

More in machinery and parts

All import guides →