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Machinery and parts

Import textile machinery

Most textile machines pay 7.5% BCD and 18% IGST; specified shuttleless looms are duty-free until 31 March 2027.

Free to importHS 8446
Basic customs duty
5–7.5%
7.5% for most machines (tariff); nil or 5% for specified looms and knitting machines
Social welfare surcharge
10% of BCD
IGST
18%
18%
India’s imports, 2025-26
US$ 2.94 bn
from 57 countries

The CBIC tariff shows 7.5% on almost all lines of 8445–8448 (a few lines, such as 8444 00 10, are higher). Notification 45/2025-Customs gives nil BCD on specified shuttleless rapier, air-jet and water-jet looms and parts for making them (S. No. 260, valid to 31 March 2027), 5% on specified weaving and knitting machines (S. Nos. 261–262) and nil on listed parts of 8448 (S. No. 266). IGST is 18% (Schedule II entries for 8444–8448). Check the effective rate on ICEGATE. CBIC — Notification 45/2025-Customs dated 24.10.2025 (BCD exemptions) ↗

What is imported

Spinning frames, rapier and air-jet looms, circular and flat knitting machines and their parts are imported by mills, powerloom units and garment exporters. Main suppliers are machine builders in China, Germany, Japan, Italy and Switzerland. Many exporters import machines duty-free under EPCG against an export obligation.

Import policy · Free to import

New machines are free under ITC(HS). Second-hand capital goods are allowed under the conditions in Chapter 2 of the Foreign Trade Policy — read them before buying used machines abroad.

Licences and registrations you need

  • DGFT (EPCG authorisation)Optional but valuable: with an EPCG authorisation an exporter imports capital goods at zero customs duty against an export obligation. Get the authorisation before the bill of entry is filed.dgft.gov.in ↗

What is checked at the port

  • Machine description, model, speed and year of manufacture — needed to match concession entries such as the loom speed limits.
  • For second-hand machines, proof of age and value; Customs may ask for a chartered engineer’s certificate.
  • Wooden crates must be ISPM-15 treated and marked.

Practical tips

  • Get the supplier to state loom speed (metres per minute) on the invoice if you claim the nil-duty entry.
  • Agree installation, commissioning and spare parts in the contract; price them separately from the machine.
  • If you export, compare EPCG with paying duty and claiming IGST credit — EPCG saves BCD but ties you to an export obligation.

Where new importers go wrong

  • Claiming a loom concession for a machine that does not meet the speed or type in the entry.
  • Buying used machines without checking FTP conditions and valuation rules first.
Sources (6)
  1. CBIC — Customs Tariff (as on 30.06.2025), import tariff by chapter
  2. CBIC — Notification 45/2025-Customs dated 24.10.2025 (BCD exemptions)
  3. Union Budget 2025–26 — Budget Speech with Annexure to Part B (customs rate changes)
  4. CBIC — Notification 9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate) dated 17.09.2025
  5. DGFT — ITC(HS) import policy search
  6. ICEGATE — Customs e-filing portal (tariff and duty lookup)

Import data

Where India buys textile machinery

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

Imports, 2025-26
US$ 2.94 bn
Change from 2024-25
+46%
Supplying countries
57
Biggest supplier
China
69%
China: US$ 2.04 bnJapan: US$ 221 mnItaly: US$ 168 mnGermany: US$ 150 mnNetherlands: US$ 52.8 mnUnited States of America: US$ 23.1 mnFrance: US$ 16.3 mnSouth Korea: US$ 8.5 mnSingapore: US$ 8 mnSpain: US$ 5.9 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 5.4 mnChina: US$ 2.04 bnChinaJapan: US$ 221 mnItaly: US$ 168 mnItalyGermany: US$ 150 mnGermanyNetherlands: US$ 52.8 mnUnited States of America: US$ 23.1 mnUnited States of AmericaFrance: US$ 16.3 mnSouth Korea: US$ 8.5 mnSingapore: US$ 8 mnSingaporeSpain: US$ 5.9 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 5.4 mnUnited Arab EmiratesIndia
Where India imports textile machinery from — among our 30 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 882 mn8822020-212021-22: US$ 1.7 bn1.7k2021-222022-23: US$ 2.53 bn2.5k2022-232023-24: US$ 2.16 bn2.2k2023-242024-25: US$ 2.01 bn2.0k2024-252025-26: US$ 2.94 bn2.9k2025-26
India’s textile machinery imports · US$ million

Biggest supplying countries

Name2025-26Change
1ChinaUS$ 2.04 bn+68.2%
2JapanUS$ 221 mn-11.3%
3ItalyUS$ 168 mn+115.3%
4GermanyUS$ 150 mn-12.1%
5BelgiumUS$ 112 mn+20.3%
6NetherlandsUS$ 52.8 mn+25%
7SwitzerlandUS$ 50.2 mn+10.5%
8TaiwanUS$ 23.2 mn+59.5%
9United States of AmericaUS$ 23.1 mn+26.6%
10TürkiyeUS$ 22.8 mn+41.5%
11FranceUS$ 16.3 mn+21.8%
12South KoreaUS$ 8.5 mn-19.6%

Which sources are growing and shrinking

Growing sources

  1. ItalyUS$ 78.2 mn → US$ 168 mn+115.3%
  2. ChinaUS$ 1.21 bn → US$ 2.04 bn+68.2%
  3. NetherlandsUS$ 42.2 mn → US$ 52.8 mn+25%
  4. BelgiumUS$ 93.2 mn → US$ 112 mn+20.3%
  5. SwitzerlandUS$ 45.4 mn → US$ 50.2 mn+10.5%

Shrinking sources

  1. GermanyUS$ 170 mn → US$ 150 mn-12.1%
  2. JapanUS$ 250 mn → US$ 221 mn-11.3%

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
Others-of-weaving machines for weaving fabrics of a width>30 cm,shu...8446 30 90US$ 1.05 bn+90.1%531k piecesUS$ 1973.45 per piece
Machines for making embroidery8447 90 20US$ 660 mn+71.7%744k piecesUS$ 888.07 per piece
Machinery, auxiliary, for machines of heading no. 8444, 8445, 8446 or 8447 in item no. 8448.11 — 0thers8448 19 00US$ 135 mn+21.6%16,333 tonnesUS$ 8.25 per kg
Other wool kniting machines8447 12 90US$ 110 mn+84.5%34k piecesUS$ 3204.00 per piece
Others-of-mchns for extruding,drawing,texturing or cutting man-made ...8444 00 90US$ 93.4 mn+140.5%296k piecesUS$ 315.67 per piece
Other parts and accssrs of other weaving mchns8448 49 90US$ 73.2 mn+52.8%5,231 tonnesUS$ 13.99 per kg
Knitting machines, flat, stitch-bonding machines — knitting machines,n.e.s.8447 20 90US$ 67.4 mn+23.9%166k piecesUS$ 405.16 per piece
Other textile machines of hdg 84458445 90 00US$ 64.3 mn+79.9%62k piecesUS$ 1038.04 per piece
Mchns for extrdng man-made txtl mtrls8444 00 10US$ 61.1 mn+66.8%7k piecesUS$ 9178.43 per piece
Machines, parts and accessories of machines or auxiliary machinery of heading no. 8445 in item no. 8448.3 — 0thers8448 39 90US$ 60.3 mn-7.2%1,775 tonnesUS$ 33.95 per kg
Cotton yarn wndng(including weft-wndng) or reeling machines,autom...8445 40 10US$ 59.3 mn-24.4%19k piecesUS$ 3092.44 per piece
Cotton spinning machines,n.e.s.8445 20 19US$ 45.2 mn-10.9%2k piecesUS$ 25556.81 per piece

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

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