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Machinery and parts

Import construction equipment (excavators, loaders)

7.5% BCD, 10% SWS and 18% IGST. Machines driven on public roads also need type approval under the motor vehicle rules.

Free to importHS 8429
Basic customs duty
7.5%
7.5%
Social welfare surcharge
10% of BCD
IGST
18%
18%
India’s imports, 2025-26
US$ 511 mn
from 32 countries

The CBIC tariff shows 7.5% on all lines of 8429 — bulldozers, graders, scrapers, road rollers, tamping machines, front-end loaders and 360° excavators (8429 52 00). Notification 45/2025-Customs has no general concession for this heading; Budget 2026–27 did not change it. IGST is 18% (Schedule II entry for 8429, Notification 9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)). Machines supplied to notified infrastructure or mining projects may get concessions under other entries — check on ICEGATE. CBIC — Customs Tariff, import tariff by chapter ↗

What is imported

Excavators, wheel loaders, graders, road rollers and bulldozers are imported by contractors, rental companies and dealers of global brands. India imported about US$ 511 million of heading 8429 in 2025–26 (TradeStat), led by China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Germany. Many brands also build machines in India, so imports are often of larger models, special machines or used equipment.

Import policy · Free to import

Free under ITC(HS) Schedule 1. Second-hand machines are generally importable under the Foreign Trade Policy; customs checks the age, condition and declared value.

Licences and registrations you need

  • MoRTH / testing agency (CMVR type approval)Construction equipment vehicles that will be registered or driven on public roads need type approval and must meet the emission norms for construction equipment under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules. Testing is done by agencies such as ARAI and ICAT. Site-only machines that never use public roads should confirm their status with the testing agency.morth.nic.in ↗
  • BIS (status check)The Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety (Omnibus Technical Regulation) Order, 2024 was rescinded by the Ministry of Heavy Industries in January 2026 (S.O. 239(E)), so there is no general BIS certificate for machinery at present. Check the BIS list for any product-specific order before you ship.bis.gov.in ↗

What is checked at the port

  • Engine and chassis serial numbers, year of manufacture and engine emission stage against the invoice.
  • Valuation of used machines — customs compares with similar imports and may order an independent valuation.
  • Cleanliness: soil and plant matter on used machines can be held under plant quarantine rules; have them washed before loading.

Practical tips

  • Compare the landed cost with the price of the same model built in India; local production often wins once freight and duty are added.
  • Ship large machines as break-bulk or on flat-rack containers, and get the freight forwarder to confirm port handling limits in advance.
  • Ask the brand's Indian office whether it will service and supply parts for a machine imported outside its dealer network.

Where new importers go wrong

  • Importing a used excavator whose engine does not meet Indian emission norms, so it cannot be registered for road use.
  • Under-declaring the value of used equipment; reassessment, penalty and port storage charges quickly wipe out the saving.
Sources (9)
  1. CBIC — Customs Tariff, import tariff by chapter
  2. CBIC — Notification 45/2025-Customs dated 24.10.2025 (effective BCD rates)
  3. CBIC — Notification 9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate) dated 17.09.2025
  4. Ministry of Finance (TRU) — explanatory letter on Budget 2026–27 customs changes
  5. DGFT — ITC(HS) import policy search
  6. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways — Central Motor Vehicles Rules
  7. Bureau of Indian Standards — products under compulsory certification
  8. Department of Commerce — TradeStat (India's import data by commodity and country)
  9. ICEGATE — Customs e-filing portal (tariff and duty lookup)

Import data

Where India buys construction equipment (excavators, loaders)

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

Imports, 2025-26
US$ 511 mn
Change from 2024-25
+2.2%
Supplying countries
32
Biggest supplier
China
47%
China: US$ 240 mnJapan: US$ 90.7 mnSouth Korea: US$ 58.9 mnThailand: US$ 31.8 mnGermany: US$ 22.5 mnRussia: US$ 15 mnSweden: US$ 10.4 mnBelgium: US$ 8 mnUnited States of America: US$ 6.6 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 5.4 mnSwitzerland: US$ 5.3 mnFrance: US$ 5.2 mnAustralia: US$ 3.8 mnMaldives: US$ 1.3 mnNetherlands: US$ 1.3 mnChina: US$ 240 mnChinaJapan: US$ 90.7 mnSouth Korea: US$ 58.9 mnThailand: US$ 31.8 mnThailandGermany: US$ 22.5 mnGermanyRussia: US$ 15 mnSweden: US$ 10.4 mnBelgium: US$ 8 mnUnited States of America: US$ 6.6 mnUnited States of AmericaUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 5.4 mnUnited Arab EmiratesSwitzerland: US$ 5.3 mnSwitzerlandFrance: US$ 5.2 mnAustralia: US$ 3.8 mnMaldives: US$ 1.3 mnNetherlands: US$ 1.3 mnIndia
Where India imports construction equipment (excavators, loaders) from — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 429 mn4292020-212021-22: US$ 470 mn4702021-222022-23: US$ 581 mn5812022-232023-24: US$ 538 mn5382023-242024-25: US$ 500 mn5002024-252025-26: US$ 511 mn5112025-26
India’s construction equipment (excavators, loaders) imports · US$ million

Biggest supplying countries

Name2025-26Change
1ChinaUS$ 240 mn+27.6%
2JapanUS$ 90.7 mn+8.4%
3South KoreaUS$ 58.9 mn+16.8%
4ThailandUS$ 31.8 mn+72.4%
5GermanyUS$ 22.5 mn+23.2%
6RussiaUS$ 15 mn-21.9%
7SwedenUS$ 10.4 mn-43.6%
8BelgiumUS$ 8 mn+44%
9United States of AmericaUS$ 6.6 mn-87.9%
10United Arab EmiratesUS$ 5.4 mn+278.9%
11SwitzerlandUS$ 5.3 mn+21.6%
12FranceUS$ 5.2 mn+58.6%

Which sources are growing and shrinking

Growing sources

  1. United Arab EmiratesUS$ 1.4 mn → US$ 5.4 mn+278.9%
  2. ThailandUS$ 18.5 mn → US$ 31.8 mn+72.4%
  3. FranceUS$ 3.3 mn → US$ 5.2 mn+58.6%
  4. BelgiumUS$ 5.5 mn → US$ 8 mn+44%
  5. ChinaUS$ 188 mn → US$ 240 mn+27.6%
  6. GermanyUS$ 18.3 mn → US$ 22.5 mn+23.2%

Shrinking sources

  1. IndonesiaUS$ 9.1 mn → US$ 210k-97.7%
  2. FinlandUS$ 9.4 mn → US$ 990k-89.4%
  3. United States of AmericaUS$ 54.1 mn → US$ 6.6 mn-87.9%
  4. SwedenUS$ 18.5 mn → US$ 10.4 mn-43.6%
  5. RussiaUS$ 19.2 mn → US$ 15 mn-21.9%

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
Machinery with a 360 dgr. rvlvng supr-strctr8429 52 00US$ 215 mn-2.1%6k piecesUS$ 37152.74 per piece
Front-end shovel loaders — front-end shovel loaders8429 51 00US$ 113 mn+40.5%1k piecesUS$ 91852.15 per piece
Graders and levellers — graders and levellers8429 20 00US$ 57.5 mn-49.3%——
Bulldozers and angledozers, self-propelled, other than track laying — bulldozers8429 19 20US$ 44.7 mn+63.4%266 piecesUS$ 168045.11 per piece
Other mchncl shovls,excvtrs and shovl loadrs8429 59 00US$ 28.7 mn+46%2k piecesUS$ 13053.16 per piece
Bulldozers and angledozers, self-propelled, track laying — angle dozers8429 11 10US$ 22.9 mn+36.6%115 piecesUS$ 199391.30 per piece
Scrapers, self-propelled — scrapers8429 30 00US$ 20.5 mn+36.3%24k piecesUS$ 849.99 per piece
Bulldozers and angledozers, self-propelled, track laying — bulldozers8429 11 20US$ 4.9 mn+85.5%53 piecesUS$ 91698.11 per piece
Road rollers above 5 tonne capacity8429 40 20US$ 2.3 mn-32.8%48 piecesUS$ 47708.33 per piece
Road rollers upto 5 tonne capacity8429 40 10US$ 2 mn+0.5%2k piecesUS$ 867.28 per piece
Tamping machines and road rollers, self-propelled — tamping machines8429 40 30US$ 60k+20%108 piecesUS$ 555.56 per piece

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

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