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Electronics and solar

Import electric cars

Fully built electric cars pay 70% BCD, plus 40% AIDC above US$ 40,000 CIF; homologation under CMVR is required.

Free, with conditionsHS 8703.80
Basic customs duty
15–70%
70% (CBU); 15% for approved applicants under the EV scheme (min. CIF US$ 35,000); 15% or 35% for kits
Social welfare surcharge
10% of BCD up to US$ 40,000 CIF; not shown above US$ 40,000, where AIDC applies
IGST
5%
5%
India’s imports, 2025-26
US$ 371 mn
from 19 countries

Budget 2025–26 cut the tariff on 8703 cars from 125% to 70%; for cars with CIF above US$ 40,000 the effective duty became 70% BCD + 40% AIDC (it was 100% BCD + 10% SWS). S. No. 318 of Notification 45/2025-Customs sets 70% for fully built electric cars, 15% for kits with no parts inter-connected, 35% for kits with inter-connected parts, and 15% for cars of minimum CIF US$ 35,000 imported under the Ministry of Heavy Industries' Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Electric Passenger Cars in India (S.O. 1363(E), 15 March 2024; valid to 31 March 2031). Confirm the AIDC and SWS lines for your car's value on ICEGATE. IGST is 5% (Schedule I, entry 441, electrically operated vehicles). AIDC 40% on cars with CIF above US$ 40,000 (Budget 2025–26) CBIC — Notification 45/2025-Customs dated 24.10.2025 (effective BCD rates, in force 1.11.2025) ↗

What is imported

Car makers import electric cars fully built (CBU) or as kits for assembly; a few dealers and individuals import premium models. India imported about US$ 371 million of 8703 80 vehicles in 2025-26, led by China, Germany and the USA (TradeStat). The high CBU duty is meant to push local assembly.

Import policy · Free, with conditions

New vehicles are importable subject to the policy conditions of ITC(HS) Chapter 87; the vehicle must be type-approved (homologated) under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules. Used cars face stricter conditions — check before buying.

Licences and registrations you need

  • MoRTH / testing agency (CMVR type approval)The model must be type-approved (homologated) under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules by an authorised testing agency such as ARAI or ICAT before it can be registered and sold.morth.nic.in ↗
  • Ministry of Heavy Industries (SPMEPCI)Only approved applicants who commit to invest in Indian manufacturing can import at the 15% scheme rate, within the scheme's limits.heavyindustries.gov.in ↗
  • CPCB (EPR — batteries)The traction battery makes the importer a battery producer; register on the CPCB battery EPR portal.eprbattery.cpcb.gov.in ↗

What is checked at the port

  • Type-approval or homologation certificate for the exact model and variant.
  • CIF value, which decides whether the above-US$ 40,000 duty applies; Customs checks the declared price against the market.
  • That the car is new and unregistered, unless imported under the used-vehicle conditions.

Practical tips

  • For a single car, buying from the brand's Indian importer is usually cheaper and simpler than a personal import.
  • Check whether a trade agreement with the maker's country gives a lower rate, and what quota or origin rules apply.

Where new importers go wrong

  • Shipping a model that has no Indian type approval — it cannot be registered.
  • Under-declaring value to stay below US$ 40,000 — Customs re-values and adds penalties.
Sources (9)
  1. CBIC — Notification 45/2025-Customs dated 24.10.2025 (effective BCD rates, in force 1.11.2025)
  2. Union Budget 2025–26 — Budget Speech with Annexure to Part B (customs changes)
  3. CBIC — Customs Tariff of India (import tariff, chapter PDFs)
  4. CBIC — Notification 9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate), in force 22.09.2025
  5. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways — Central Motor Vehicles Rules
  6. Ministry of Heavy Industries — Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Electric Passenger Cars in India
  7. CPCB — EPR portal for battery waste
  8. DGFT — ITC(HS) import policy (Schedule 1)
  9. Commerce Ministry TradeStat — commodity-wise imports by country (FY 2025-26)

Import data

Where India buys electric cars

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

Imports, 2025-26
US$ 371 mn
Change from 2024-25
+51.7%
Supplying countries
19
Biggest supplier
China
58%
China: US$ 214 mnGermany: US$ 67.7 mnUnited States of America: US$ 39.5 mnHong Kong: US$ 30 mnSweden: US$ 5.9 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 4.4 mnVietnam: US$ 3.8 mnAustralia: US$ 1.6 mnSouth Korea: US$ 1 mnJapan: US$ 920kBelgium: US$ 820kSri Lanka: US$ 800kUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 140kIndonesia: US$ 110kFrance: US$ 80kChina: US$ 214 mnChinaGermany: US$ 67.7 mnGermanyUnited States of America: US$ 39.5 mnUnited States of AmericaHong Kong: US$ 30 mnHong KongSweden: US$ 5.9 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 4.4 mnVietnam: US$ 3.8 mnVietnamAustralia: US$ 1.6 mnAustraliaSouth Korea: US$ 1 mnJapan: US$ 920kBelgium: US$ 820kSri Lanka: US$ 800kUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 140kIndonesia: US$ 110kFrance: US$ 80kIndia
Where India imports electric cars from — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 4 mn4.02020-212021-22: US$ 23.5 mn232021-222022-23: US$ 117 mn1172022-232023-24: US$ 234 mn2342023-242024-25: US$ 244 mn2442024-252025-26: US$ 371 mn3712025-26
India’s electric cars imports · US$ million

Biggest supplying countries

Name2025-26Change
1ChinaUS$ 214 mn+260.4%
2GermanyUS$ 67.7 mn-42.7%
3United States of AmericaUS$ 39.5 mn+426.7%
4Hong KongUS$ 30 mn+106.5%
5SwedenUS$ 5.9 mn-21.7%
6United KingdomUS$ 4.4 mn-59.2%
7VietnamUS$ 3.8 mn+886.8%
8AustraliaUS$ 1.6 mn+400%
9South KoreaUS$ 1 mn-95.8%
10JapanUS$ 920k+119%
11BelgiumUS$ 820k—
12Sri LankaUS$ 800k+433.3%

Which sources are growing and shrinking

Growing sources

  1. VietnamUS$ 380k → US$ 3.8 mn+886.8%
  2. United States of AmericaUS$ 7.5 mn → US$ 39.5 mn+426.7%
  3. ChinaUS$ 59.4 mn → US$ 214 mn+260.4%
  4. Hong KongUS$ 14.5 mn → US$ 30 mn+106.5%

Shrinking sources

  1. South KoreaUS$ 24.1 mn → US$ 1 mn-95.8%
  2. United KingdomUS$ 10.7 mn → US$ 4.4 mn-59.2%
  3. GermanyUS$ 118 mn → US$ 67.7 mn-42.7%
  4. SwedenUS$ 7.6 mn → US$ 5.9 mn-21.7%

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
Vehicles, with only electric motor for propulsion — motor cars8703 80 30US$ 369 mn+51.2%33k piecesUS$ 11113.69 per piece
Others-of-other vehicles,with only electric motor for propulsion:8703 80 90US$ 2.1 mn+505.9%56 piecesUS$ 36785.71 per piece
Vehicles principally designed for transport of more than seven pe...8703 80 10US$ 140k-66.7%3 piecesUS$ 46666.67 per piece
Vehicles, with only electric motor for propulsion — three-wheeled vehicles8703 80 40US$ 80k—194 piecesUS$ 412.37 per piece

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

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