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Raw materials

Import natural rubber

Dry rubber pays 25% or Rs 30 per kg, whichever is lower; latex 70%. 5% IGST. Côte d’Ivoire and Indonesia lead supply.

Free to importHS 4001
Basic customs duty
25–70%
25% or Rs 30 per kg, whichever is lower (dry rubber); 70% (latex)
Social welfare surcharge
10% of BCD
IGST
5%
5%
India’s imports, 2025-26
US$ 893 mn
from 27 countries

For smoked sheets (4001 21), TSNR (4001 22) and other dry natural rubber (4001 29), the tariff rate is "25% or Rs 30 per kg, whichever is lower" (since 1 May 2022). Natural rubber latex (4001 10) is 70%, and balata, gutta-percha and similar gums (4001 30) are 10% (Customs Tariff as on 30.06.2025). Notification 45/2025-Customs has no general concession for 4001. Tyre and rubber-goods exporters often import duty-free under Advance Authorisation. IGST is 5% (Schedule I, notification 9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)). Check the current rate on ICEGATE. CBIC — Customs Tariff of India (as on 30.06.2025) ↗

What is imported

Tyre makers and rubber goods factories import natural rubber, mainly block rubber (TSNR), because Kerala’s production does not meet demand. Imports under 4001 were about US$ 893 million in FY 2025-26, down from US$ 1.07 billion (TradeStat). Côte d’Ivoire supplied 33%, Indonesia 28%, Vietnam 16%, then Thailand and Malaysia.

Import policy · Free to import

Free under ITC(HS) Schedule 1. Check the Rubber Board’s licensing rules for dealing in rubber in India, and any DGFT port condition, before you contract.

Licences and registrations you need

  • Rubber BoardLicence from the Rubber Board for buying, selling or processing rubber in India, and its periodic returns; check the current rules before importing.rubberboard.gov.in ↗

What is checked at the port

  • Customs checks the grade (RSS, TSNR 10/20, latex) because duty differs between dry rubber and latex.
  • Weight check, since the specific Rs 30 per kg duty applies when it is lower than 25% of value.
  • Buyers test dirt, ash, volatile matter and plasticity against the ISNR/TSNR specification.

Practical tips

  • Buy against a named standard grade (for example TSNR 20) with a test certificate per lot.
  • Work out both 25% of value and Rs 30 per kg; the lower one is what you pay.

Where new importers go wrong

  • Declaring latex as dry rubber to pay the lower rate — the duty gap is large and penalties follow.
  • Bales with high dirt or moisture that fail the factory’s incoming test.
Sources (7)
  1. CBIC — Customs Tariff of India (as on 30.06.2025)
  2. CBIC — Notification 45/2025-Customs (effective duty rates), 24 Oct 2025, as amended
  3. CBIC — Notification 9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate), 17 Sep 2025 (IGST rates from 22 Sep 2025)
  4. DGFT — ITC(HS) import policy (Schedule 1)
  5. Rubber Board, Ministry of Commerce & Industry
  6. Commerce Ministry TradeStat — commodity-wise imports by country (FY 2025-26)
  7. ICEGATE — Customs duty and tariff look-up

Import data

Where India buys natural rubber

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

Imports, 2025-26
US$ 893 mn
Change from 2024-25
-16.5%
Supplying countries
27
Biggest supplier
Côte d’Ivoire
33%
Côte d’Ivoire: US$ 291 mnIndonesia: US$ 248 mnVietnam: US$ 147 mnThailand: US$ 92.8 mnMalaysia: US$ 68.5 mnNigeria: US$ 9.7 mnBangladesh: US$ 4.8 mnMyanmar: US$ 4.8 mnGhana: US$ 3.7 mnCambodia: US$ 2.7 mnSingapore: US$ 1.3 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 980kSri Lanka: US$ 860kCôte d’Ivoire: US$ 291 mnCôte d’IvoireIndonesia: US$ 248 mnIndonesiaVietnam: US$ 147 mnVietnamThailand: US$ 92.8 mnMalaysia: US$ 68.5 mnMalaysiaNigeria: US$ 9.7 mnBangladesh: US$ 4.8 mnBangladeshMyanmar: US$ 4.8 mnMyanmarGhana: US$ 3.7 mnCambodia: US$ 2.7 mnSingapore: US$ 1.3 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 980kSri Lanka: US$ 860kIndia
Where India imports natural rubber from — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 624 mn6242020-212021-22: US$ 1.03 bn1.0k2021-222022-23: US$ 938 mn9382022-232023-24: US$ 739 mn7392023-242024-25: US$ 1.07 bn1.1k2024-252025-26: US$ 893 mn8932025-26
India’s natural rubber imports · US$ million

Biggest supplying countries

Name2025-26Change
1Côte d’IvoireUS$ 291 mn+15.2%
2IndonesiaUS$ 248 mn+3.2%
3VietnamUS$ 147 mn-33.4%
4ThailandUS$ 92.8 mn-38.1%
5MalaysiaUS$ 68.5 mn-51.1%
6LiberiaUS$ 13 mn+44.9%
7NigeriaUS$ 9.7 mn+6.8%
8BangladeshUS$ 4.8 mn-27.5%
9MyanmarUS$ 4.8 mn-75.2%
10GhanaUS$ 3.7 mn+18.1%
11CambodiaUS$ 2.7 mn+11.3%
12CameroonUS$ 2.4 mn-63.1%

Which sources are growing and shrinking

Growing sources

  1. LiberiaUS$ 9 mn → US$ 13 mn+44.9%
  2. Côte d’IvoireUS$ 253 mn → US$ 291 mn+15.2%

Shrinking sources

  1. MyanmarUS$ 19.4 mn → US$ 4.8 mn-75.2%
  2. MalaysiaUS$ 140 mn → US$ 68.5 mn-51.1%
  3. ThailandUS$ 150 mn → US$ 92.8 mn-38.1%
  4. VietnamUS$ 220 mn → US$ 147 mn-33.4%

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
Technically spcfd natrl rubr(tsnr)4001 22 00US$ 793 mn-14.2%4,08,975 tonnesUS$ 1.94 per kg
Rubber, natural, in smoked sheets — natrl rubr in smkd sheets4001 21 00US$ 81.4 mn-35.4%37,828 tonnesUS$ 2.15 per kg
Natrl rubr latex not prevulcanised4001 10 20US$ 13 mn+25.4%8,916 tonnesUS$ 1.46 per kg
Other natrl rubbr non-latex4001 29 90US$ 4.1 mn-46.2%1,989 tonnesUS$ 2.05 per kg
Prevulcanised natrl rubr latex4001 10 10US$ 1.9 mn+40.4%1,282 tonnesUS$ 1.49 per kg
Natural rubber in pale crepe4001 29 20US$ 140k+133.3%38 tonnesUS$ 3.66 per kg
Natural rubber in estate brown crepe4001 29 30US$ 110k+22.2%36 tonnesUS$ 3.06 per kg
Balta gutta-percha etc. and smlr natrl gums4001 30 00US$ 20k-77.8%1.6 tonnesUS$ 12.13 per kg

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

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