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Consumer goods

Import watches

20% BCD, 10% SWS and 18% IGST. Switzerland and Hong Kong supply most of India's watch imports.

Free to importHS 9102
Basic customs duty
20%
20%
Social welfare surcharge
10% of BCD
IGST
18%
18%
India’s imports, 2025-26
US$ 613 mn
from 26 countries

The CBIC tariff shows 20% on every line of 9101 and 9102, whether mechanical, automatic or electrically operated. Budget 2025–26 and Budget 2026–27 made no change to chapter 91. IGST is 18% (Schedule II entries for 9101 and 9102, Notification 9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)). The India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement may give a preferential rate on Swiss-origin watches with a valid certificate of origin — check the TEPA tariff schedule and ICEGATE for your line. CBIC — Customs Tariff, import tariff by chapter ↗

What is imported

Luxury mechanical watches, fashion quartz watches and pocket watches are imported by brand subsidiaries, authorised retailers and distributors. In 2025–26 India imported about US$ 490 million under 9102 and US$ 123 million under 9101 (TradeStat). Switzerland dominates both, with Hong Kong, the UAE and China next. Watches are high value and small, so valuation and grey-market checks are strict.

Import policy · Free to import

Free under ITC(HS) Schedule 1.

Licences and registrations you need

  • 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 ↗
  • DoT — WPC and BIS (only for smartwatches)Smartwatches are not watches for customs: they are classified under 8517 and need BIS registration under the Compulsory Registration Scheme and WPC Equipment Type Approval for their radios.saralsanchar.gov.in ↗

What is checked at the port

  • Value against brand price lists — undervaluation of luxury watches is a common customs case.
  • Case material: precious-metal cases go under 9101.
  • Brand authorisation — fakes are seized under the IPR (Imported Goods) Enforcement Rules on rights-holder complaints.

Practical tips

  • Insure the shipment for full invoice value and use a courier or air freight service with valuables handling.
  • Get a written distribution agreement from the brand; without it, warranty and service will not be honoured in India.

Where new importers go wrong

  • Declaring a smartwatch under 9102 to avoid BIS and WPC requirements.
  • Buying grey-market luxury watches from Dubai or Hong Kong traders at prices well below list; customs reassesses and may seize fakes.
Sources (8)
  1. CBIC — Customs Tariff, import tariff by chapter
  2. Ministry of Finance (TRU) — explanatory letter on Budget 2025–26 customs changes
  3. Ministry of Finance (TRU) — explanatory letter on Budget 2026–27 customs changes
  4. CBIC — Notification 9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate) dated 17.09.2025
  5. Department of Consumer Affairs — Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities)
  6. Department of Telecommunications — Saral Sanchar (WPC Equipment Type Approval)
  7. Department of Commerce — TradeStat (India's import data by commodity and country)
  8. ICEGATE — Customs e-filing portal (tariff and duty lookup)

Import data

Where India buys watches

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

Imports, 2025-26
US$ 613 mn
Change from 2024-25
+23.8%
Supplying countries
26
Biggest supplier
Switzerland
64%
Switzerland: US$ 392 mnHong Kong: US$ 124 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 32.3 mnChina: US$ 21.2 mnJapan: US$ 11.1 mnPhilippines: US$ 10 mnIreland: US$ 8.3 mnSingapore: US$ 5.3 mnFrance: US$ 2.9 mnThailand: US$ 2 mnGermany: US$ 1.3 mnItaly: US$ 930kUnited States of America: US$ 720kUnited Kingdom: US$ 330kNetherlands: US$ 170kSwitzerland: US$ 392 mnSwitzerlandHong Kong: US$ 124 mnHong KongUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 32.3 mnUnited Arab EmiratesChina: US$ 21.2 mnChinaJapan: US$ 11.1 mnPhilippines: US$ 10 mnPhilippinesIreland: US$ 8.3 mnIrelandSingapore: US$ 5.3 mnFrance: US$ 2.9 mnThailand: US$ 2 mnGermany: US$ 1.3 mnItaly: US$ 930kUnited States of America: US$ 720kUnited Kingdom: US$ 330kNetherlands: US$ 170kIndia
Where India imports watches from — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 174 mn1742020-212021-22: US$ 287 mn2872021-222022-23: US$ 347 mn3472022-232023-24: US$ 456 mn4562023-242024-25: US$ 495 mn4952024-252025-26: US$ 613 mn6132025-26
India’s watches imports · US$ million

Biggest supplying countries

Name2025-26Change
1SwitzerlandUS$ 392 mn+23.8%
2Hong KongUS$ 124 mn+23.1%
3United Arab EmiratesUS$ 32.3 mn+16.6%
4ChinaUS$ 21.2 mn+34.6%
5JapanUS$ 11.1 mn+102.9%
6PhilippinesUS$ 10 mn+23.6%
7IrelandUS$ 8.3 mn+12.4%
8SingaporeUS$ 5.3 mn+13.4%
9FranceUS$ 2.9 mn+23%
10ThailandUS$ 2 mn+185.9%
11GermanyUS$ 1.3 mn-1.6%
12ItalyUS$ 930k-11.4%

Which sources are growing and shrinking

Growing sources

  1. JapanUS$ 5.5 mn → US$ 11.1 mn+102.9%
  2. ChinaUS$ 15.8 mn → US$ 21.2 mn+34.6%
  3. SwitzerlandUS$ 317 mn → US$ 392 mn+23.8%
  4. PhilippinesUS$ 8.1 mn → US$ 10 mn+23.6%
  5. Hong KongUS$ 100 mn → US$ 124 mn+23.1%
  6. United Arab EmiratesUS$ 27.7 mn → US$ 32.3 mn+16.6%

Shrinking sources

None

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 wrist-watches,whether or not incorporating a stop-watch facility with ...9102 21 00US$ 186 mn+52.2%368k piecesUS$ 503.78 per piece
Wrst-wtchs,electrly operated,whether or not incrprtng stop-wtch fclty with mc...9102 11 00US$ 168 mn+29.9%3.0 mn piecesUS$ 55.86 per piece
Other wrist-watches,whether/not incorporating a stop-watc...9102 29 00US$ 77.6 mn+19.2%16.3 mn piecesUS$ 4.77 per piece
Other wrist watches,electricly operated, whether or not incorporating a stop-...9101 19 00US$ 54 mn+23.1%701k piecesUS$ 77.02 per piece
Other wrist-watches,whether or not incorporating a stop-watch facility with ...9101 21 00US$ 52.5 mn+93.2%5k piecesUS$ 11100.78 per piece
Other wrist-watches,electrly operated,whether or not incorporating a stop-watc...9102 19 00US$ 39.4 mn-22.2%21.2 mn piecesUS$ 1.86 per piece
Pocket watches and other watches, including stop-watches,, other than those of heading no. 9101, other than… — other watches9102 99 90US$ 15.6 mn-38.8%93.5 mn piecesUS$ 0.17 per piece
Other wrist-watches,whether or not incorporating a stop-watc...9101 29 00US$ 11.6 mn-19.5%78k piecesUS$ 149.66 per piece
Wrist-wtch,electricly opertd,whether or not incrprtng stop-wtch fclty with mch...9101 11 00US$ 3.8 mn-62.6%64k piecesUS$ 59.82 per piece
Pocket watches and other watches, including stop-watches,, other than those of heading no. 9101… — other watches9102 91 90US$ 2 mn+157.9%1.3 mn piecesUS$ 1.49 per piece
Pocket-watches and other watches, including stop-watches,, with case of precious metal or of metal clad… — other watches9101 99 90US$ 1.5 mn-69.8%4.0 mn piecesUS$ 0.38 per piece
Wrst-wtchs,electrly operated,whether or not incrprtng stop-wtch fclty with opt...9102 12 00US$ 670k+52.3%125k piecesUS$ 5.35 per piece

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

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