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Consumer goods

Import sports equipment

20% BCD on most sports goods, 10% on gym equipment; IGST 5% for sports goods and 18% for fitness equipment.

Free to importHS 9506
Basic customs duty
10–20%
20% (most lines); 10% (9506 91, exercise equipment)
Social welfare surcharge
10% of BCD
IGST
5–18%
5% (sports goods); 18% (exercise and gym equipment)
India’s imports, 2025-26
US$ 373 mn
from 54 countries

The CBIC tariff shows 20% on skis, golf clubs and balls, table-tennis equipment, rackets, balls, cricket, hockey and other sports goods, and 10% on articles for general physical exercise (9506 91). IGST: sports goods other than exercise equipment are in Schedule I at 5%; articles and equipment for general physical exercise, gymnastics and athletics are in Schedule II at 18% (Notification 9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)). Goods imported by national sports federations or for national events can be exempt under Notification 45/2025-Customs, with a certificate. CBIC — Customs Tariff, import tariff by chapter ↗

What is imported

Rackets, shuttlecocks, golf equipment, balls, table-tennis tables and gym machines are imported by sports retailers, distributors, gyms and online sellers. TradeStat shows about US$ 373 million of 9506 imports in 2025–26; China supplies about two-thirds, followed by Japan, the USA, Italy, Taiwan and Singapore. India is itself a large exporter of cricket, hockey and football goods, so imports lean to racket sports, golf and fitness equipment.

Import policy · Free to import

Free under ITC(HS) Schedule 1.

Licences and registrations you need

  • BIS (status check)We found no BIS Quality Control Order for general sports goods in force on 1 November 2026. Check the BIS list for your item, especially for electrically powered fitness machines, which can fall under the household appliance safety order.bis.gov.in ↗
  • Legal Metrology (LMPC)Importers of pre-packed goods for retail sale must register under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 and print the importer's name and address, MRP, net quantity, month and year of import and consumer-care details on each pack.consumeraffairs.nic.in ↗
  • CPCB (EPR — plastic packaging)An importer who brings in goods packed in plastic is treated as an importer under the Plastic Waste Management Rules and must register on the CPCB EPR portal and meet recycling targets.eprplastic.cpcb.gov.in ↗

What is checked at the port

  • Split between sports goods (5% IGST) and exercise equipment (18% IGST) on the bill of entry.
  • Brand authenticity — fake branded rackets and shuttlecocks are seized on rights-holder complaints.
  • Legal Metrology labels on retail packs.

Practical tips

  • Treadmills and motorised machines need Indian plugs, 230 V motors and local service — budget for an engineer.
  • Ship heavy gym equipment by sea in a full container; mixed small sports goods move well by consolidated LCL cargo.

Where new importers go wrong

  • Declaring a treadmill or home gym as a sports good to pay 5% IGST instead of 18%.
  • Buying branded goods from unauthorised sellers abroad; the brand's Indian distributor can complain to customs.
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. GST Council — 56th meeting press release (rates from 22.09.2025)
  5. Bureau of Indian Standards — products under compulsory certification
  6. Department of Consumer Affairs — Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities)
  7. CPCB — EPR portal for plastic packaging
  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 sports equipment

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

Imports, 2025-26
US$ 373 mn
Change from 2024-25
+20.4%
Supplying countries
54
Biggest supplier
China
64%
China: US$ 238 mnJapan: US$ 31.5 mnUnited States of America: US$ 15.8 mnItaly: US$ 14.7 mnTaiwan: US$ 14.6 mnSingapore: US$ 11.3 mnHong Kong: US$ 5.7 mnVietnam: US$ 4.3 mnSwitzerland: US$ 3.8 mnThailand: US$ 3.3 mnGermany: US$ 3.2 mnFrance: US$ 2.5 mnAustralia: US$ 2.3 mnMalaysia: US$ 1.9 mnChina: US$ 238 mnChinaJapan: US$ 31.5 mnUnited States of America: US$ 15.8 mnUnited States of AmericaItaly: US$ 14.7 mnItalyTaiwan: US$ 14.6 mnTaiwanSingapore: US$ 11.3 mnSingaporeHong Kong: US$ 5.7 mnVietnam: US$ 4.3 mnVietnamSwitzerland: US$ 3.8 mnThailand: US$ 3.3 mnGermany: US$ 3.2 mnFrance: US$ 2.5 mnAustralia: US$ 2.3 mnMalaysia: US$ 1.9 mnIndia
Where India imports sports equipment from — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 216 mn2162020-212021-22: US$ 272 mn2722021-222022-23: US$ 248 mn2482022-232023-24: US$ 285 mn2852023-242024-25: US$ 310 mn3102024-252025-26: US$ 373 mn3732025-26
India’s sports equipment imports · US$ million

Biggest supplying countries

Name2025-26Change
1ChinaUS$ 238 mn+22%
2JapanUS$ 31.5 mn+27.2%
3United States of AmericaUS$ 15.8 mn-12.9%
4ItalyUS$ 14.7 mn+26.6%
5TaiwanUS$ 14.6 mn+3.3%
6SingaporeUS$ 11.3 mn+52.4%
7HungaryUS$ 6.5 mn+113.5%
8Hong KongUS$ 5.7 mn+21%
9VietnamUS$ 4.3 mn+9.1%
10SwitzerlandUS$ 3.8 mn+123.8%
11ThailandUS$ 3.3 mn+3.4%
12GermanyUS$ 3.2 mn+69.3%

Which sources are growing and shrinking

Growing sources

  1. SwitzerlandUS$ 1.7 mn → US$ 3.8 mn+123.8%
  2. HungaryUS$ 3 mn → US$ 6.5 mn+113.5%
  3. SingaporeUS$ 7.4 mn → US$ 11.3 mn+52.4%
  4. JapanUS$ 24.8 mn → US$ 31.5 mn+27.2%
  5. ItalyUS$ 11.6 mn → US$ 14.7 mn+26.6%
  6. ChinaUS$ 195 mn → US$ 238 mn+22%

Shrinking sources

  1. United States of AmericaUS$ 18.1 mn → US$ 15.8 mn-12.9%

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
Other gymnastic/athletic requisites9506 91 90US$ 237 mn+24.5%76,196 tonnesUS$ 3.11 per kg
Equipment for outdoor games and recreation in heading no. 9506 — other sports equipments9506 99 90US$ 33.3 mn+15%136 mn piecesUS$ 0.25 per piece
Badminton rackets,whether or not strung9506 59 10US$ 30.5 mn+27%153 mn piecesUS$ 0.20 per piece
Equipment for outdoor games and recreation in heading no. 9506 — badminton shuttle corks9506 99 10US$ 18 mn+25.4%6.4 mn piecesUS$ 2.82 per piece
Ice skates and roller skates,includinguding skating boots with skat...9506 70 00US$ 6.8 mn-13.3%3.0 mn piecesUS$ 2.26 per piece
Others-of-other(badminton/smlr rackets,whether or not strung)9506 59 90US$ 6.4 mn+19.6%36.8 mn piecesUS$ 0.17 per piece
Other watr-sport equpmnts(surf-boards water-skis etc.)9506 29 00US$ 6.3 mn+15%6.5 mn piecesUS$ 0.96 per piece
Lawn-tennis rackets,whether or not strung9506 51 00US$ 4.5 mn+3.7%439k piecesUS$ 10.22 per piece
Articles and equipment for table-tennis9506 40 00US$ 4.2 mn+15.8%3.6 mn piecesUS$ 1.16 per piece
Lawn-tennis balls — lawn-tennis balls9506 61 00US$ 4.1 mn-9.1%4.9 mn piecesUS$ 0.83 per piece
Golf clubs, complete — golf clubs,complete9506 31 00US$ 3.9 mn-3.2%43k piecesUS$ 89.91 per piece
Balls, inflatable — foot ball9506 62 10US$ 3.5 mn-29.5%8.3 mn piecesUS$ 0.42 per piece

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

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