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Export books and printed matter

Printed books and print-on-contract work; the USA, UK and African school markets lead.

Free to exportHS 4901
HS code
4901
Printed books, brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter, including dictionaries, encyclopaedias and their instalments.
Export policy
Free to export
Free to export under ITC(HS) Schedule 2 (no condition listed). Confirm the current entry on the DGFT ITC(HS) search before you sign a contract.
Registrations
4
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 349 mn
to 144 countries

What is exported

India exports books printed for foreign publishers (contract printing), its own publishers' English and regional-language titles, children's books, religious books and school textbooks. Buyers are publishers, distributors, education ministries and online booksellers. In 2025-26 India exported about US$ 349 million under HS 4901; the USA led by far, followed by the UK, Tanzania, Côte d'Ivoire, the UAE and Nigeria.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Contract-printed booksBooks printed in India for foreign publishers, from novels to illustrated titles.
  • School textbooks and educational booksLarge orders from African and Asian education ministries and publishers.
  • Children's booksBoard books, activity and colouring books — check toy-safety rules for books with add-ons.
  • Religious and regional-language booksSold to diaspora bookshops, temples and community groups abroad.

Where it is grown or made

  • Delhi NCROkhla, Noida and Faridabad — printing presses and publishers
  • Tamil NaduChennai and Sivakasi — book and commercial printing
  • MaharashtraMumbai and Pune — printers and publishers
  • West Bengal and Uttar PradeshKolkata, Gorakhpur and Varanasi — publishing and religious books

Export packing

  • Shrink-wrapped bundles in strong cartons (keep carton weight within the buyer's handling limit), on pallets.
  • Corner boards and moisture barrier; avoid gaps so books do not rub or warp.
  • Carton labels with title, ISBN, quantity per carton and carton number.

Who buys abroad

  • Foreign publishers (contract printing)
  • Book distributors and wholesalers
  • Education ministries and school-book tenders
  • Online booksellers and libraries

The quality buyers ask for

Paper
Text paper GSM and shade (white or cream), cover board and finish as specified
Binding
Perfect binding, section-sewn, case-bound (hardback) or saddle-stitched, with pull tests for page strength
Printing
Colour accuracy against approved proofs (often to ISO 12647 process standards)
Trim size
Final page size within tight tolerance (for example ±1 mm)

Certificates

  • ISBN and copyright or licence papersRequiredProof that you have the right to print and sell the title in the destination.
  • FSC chain of custodyOften askedMany UK and EU publishers require FSC-certified paper and printers.
  • Toy-safety tests for novelty booksOften askedEN 71 or US CPSC tests for books with toys, sound modules or plastic parts.
  • Social and quality auditsOften askedBig publishers audit printers for labour practices and quality systems.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Books are dense: a 20-ft container usually reaches the weight limit (typically about 18–20 tonnes) before it is full.

How it travels

Sea for bulk orders from Chennai, Nhava Sheva or Mundra; air or courier for small or urgent orders.

Storage

Dry storage; avoid humidity that warps covers and pages.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Imprint page with publisher, printer, ISBN and "Printed in India".
  • Barcode (EAN-13 from the ISBN) and price as the publisher specifies.
  • Carton labels with title, ISBN, quantity and carton number.
Where to get it tested

Print quality is usually checked in-house and by the publisher's inspectors. For paper tests use CPPRI or NABL-accredited paper labs; for novelty children's books use labs accredited for EN 71 or ASTM F963.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • CAPEXILBooks, publishing and printing are listed under CAPEXIL in Appendix 2T.capexil.org ↗
  • ISBN Agency (Ministry of Education)Get ISBNs for your own titles free of charge from the Raja Rammohun Roy National Agency for ISBN; foreign distributors and online stores need them.isbn.gov.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • Territorial rights: you may export a title only to countries where you or the publisher hold the rights. Many Indian editions are marked "for sale in the Indian subcontinent only".
  • Children's books with toys, plastic parts or novelty items may need toy-safety testing (EN 71 in the EU, CPSC rules in the USA); ordinary paper books have lighter rules.
  • EU: printed products of Chapter 49 are within the EU Deforestation Regulation — the publisher will ask for paper traceability.
  • Print quality checks: colour proofs, binding strength and trimming to the agreed size.
How to start small

A printer can start by quoting contract printing for small foreign publishers (send printed samples and a price grid by page count and run length). A publisher can list its titles with ISBNs on global distributors or ship small cartons by courier under the postal and courier export route before taking on bulk orders.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Exporting a title without the rights for that territory — the shipment can be seized and the rights holder can sue.
  • Underestimating freight: books are heavy, so price sea and air freight per kilo before you quote.
  • Colour mismatch with the publisher's proof — get signed proofs before the full print run.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (7)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 4901 by country, 2025-26
  2. DGFT — Appendix 2T: Export Promotion Councils and the products under each
  3. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  4. CAPEXIL — official site
  5. Raja Rammohun Roy National Agency for ISBN — Ministry of Education
  6. European Commission — Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR)
  7. US CPSC — Business guidance for manufacturers and importers

Trade data

Indian books and printed matter exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 349 mn
+14.4% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↑ +3%
US$ 339 mn → US$ 349 mn
Buyer countries
144
Average export price
US$ 0.29
per kg · 1.22 mn tonnes shipped · US$ 0.27 the year before
United States of America: US$ 126 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 27 mnTanzania: US$ 17.8 mnCôte d’Ivoire: US$ 14.2 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 13.7 mnNigeria: US$ 13.3 mnGhana: US$ 12.1 mnKenya: US$ 9.8 mnMozambique: US$ 8.5 mnPhilippines: US$ 8.5 mnSri Lanka: US$ 7.9 mnNepal: US$ 6.1 mnSouth Africa: US$ 4.1 mnBrazil: US$ 4 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 3.8 mnNetherlands: US$ 3.8 mnAustralia: US$ 3.3 mnEthiopia: US$ 3 mnDjibouti: US$ 2.8 mnSenegal: US$ 2.6 mnOman: US$ 2.4 mnMaldives: US$ 2.4 mnBangladesh: US$ 2.3 mnUnited States of America: US$ 126 mnUnited States of AmericaUnited Kingdom: US$ 27 mnUnited KingdomTanzania: US$ 17.8 mnTanzaniaCôte d’Ivoire: US$ 14.2 mnCôte d’IvoireUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 13.7 mnUnited Arab EmiratesNigeria: US$ 13.3 mnGhana: US$ 12.1 mnKenya: US$ 9.8 mnMozambique: US$ 8.5 mnMozambiquePhilippines: US$ 8.5 mnSri Lanka: US$ 7.9 mnNepal: US$ 6.1 mnSouth Africa: US$ 4.1 mnBrazil: US$ 4 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 3.8 mnNetherlands: US$ 3.8 mnAustralia: US$ 3.3 mnEthiopia: US$ 3 mnDjibouti: US$ 2.8 mnSenegal: US$ 2.6 mnOman: US$ 2.4 mnMaldives: US$ 2.4 mnBangladesh: US$ 2.3 mnIndia
Where Indian books and printed matter goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 178 mn1782020-212021-22: US$ 270 mn2702021-222022-23: US$ 293 mn2932022-232023-24: US$ 331 mn3312023-242024-25: US$ 339 mn3392024-252025-26: US$ 349 mn3492025-26
India’s books and printed matter exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2025-26, lowest in 2020-21 — a 119% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 0.13 per kg0.132021-22: US$ 0.21 per kg2022-23: US$ 0.28 per kg2024-25: US$ 0.27 per kg2025-26: US$ 0.29 per kg0.292020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian books and printed matter · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 178 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 270 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 293 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 331 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 339 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 349 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 435 mn (US$ 363 mn – US$ 521 mn)4352026-272027-28: US$ 490 mn (US$ 401 mn – US$ 600 mn)4902027-28
India’s books and printed matter exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 490 mn

Likely range US$ 401 mn to US$ 600 mn.

Trend
+12.7% a year
Fit (R²)
0.78
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1United States of AmericaUS$ 126 mn+17.6%
2United KingdomUS$ 27 mn-0.2%
3TanzaniaUS$ 17.8 mn+30.1%
4Côte d’IvoireUS$ 14.2 mn-4.5%
5United Arab EmiratesUS$ 13.7 mn+4.2%
6NigeriaUS$ 13.3 mn+45.8%
7GhanaUS$ 12.1 mn+3.1%
8KenyaUS$ 9.8 mn+39.6%
9MozambiqueUS$ 8.5 mn+0.2%
10PhilippinesUS$ 8.5 mn-43.9%
11Sri LankaUS$ 7.9 mn+62.2%
12NepalUS$ 6.1 mn-5.6%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. MalawiUS$ 1.1 mn → US$ 4.2 mn+302.9%
  2. Sri LankaUS$ 4.9 mn → US$ 7.9 mn+62.2%
  3. NigeriaUS$ 9.1 mn → US$ 13.3 mn+45.8%
  4. KenyaUS$ 7 mn → US$ 9.8 mn+39.6%
  5. TanzaniaUS$ 13.6 mn → US$ 17.8 mn+30.1%
  6. United States of AmericaUS$ 107 mn → US$ 126 mn+17.6%
  7. South AfricaUS$ 3.6 mn → US$ 4.1 mn+12.4%

Low demand

  1. MadagascarUS$ 7 mn → US$ 740k-89.4%
  2. DjiboutiUS$ 7.5 mn → US$ 2.8 mn-62.2%
  3. MaldivesUS$ 5.4 mn → US$ 2.4 mn-56.1%
  4. PhilippinesUS$ 15.1 mn → US$ 8.5 mn-43.9%
  5. CameroonUS$ 6.5 mn → US$ 4.4 mn-31.6%
  6. NetherlandsUS$ 5 mn → US$ 3.8 mn-24.6%
  7. Saudi ArabiaUS$ 4.5 mn → US$ 3.8 mn-15.3%
  8. AustraliaUS$ 3.7 mn → US$ 3.3 mn-11.4%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Printed matter, in single sheets, whether or not folded — printed books4901 10 10US$ 308 mn+1.6%290 mn piecesUS$ 1.06 per piecewas US$ 1.06
Other printd books etc. of hd no. 49014901 99 00 · Printed matter, books, brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter in item no. 4901.10 or 4901.91US$ 30.8 mn+22.5%329 mn piecesUS$ 0.09 per piecewas US$ 0.10
Pamphlets booklets brochures leaflets4901 10 20 · Printed matter, in single sheets, whether or not foldedUS$ 7.5 mn-17.9%604 mn piecesUS$ 0.01 per piecewas US$ 0.01
Dictionaries and encyclopaedias and serial instalments thereof4901 91 00 · Printed matter, dictionaries, encyclopaedias and serial instalments thereofUS$ 3 mn+72%1.2 mn piecesUS$ 2.44 per piecewas US$ 3.79

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 15.4 bn
2023
India among exporters
#13
of 162 countries
India’s share of world exports
2.2%
US$ 327 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 14.6 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1USAUS$ 1.85 bn 12.4%
  2. 2United KingdomUS$ 1.85 bn 12.4%
  3. 3GermanyUS$ 1.49 bn 10%
  4. 4ChinaUS$ 1.05 bn 7.1%
  5. 5NetherlandsUS$ 1.01 bn 6.8%
  6. 6PolandUS$ 976 mn 6.6%
  7. 7FranceUS$ 939 mn 6.3%
  8. 8ItalyUS$ 497 mn 3.3%
  9. 9SpainUS$ 458 mn 3.1%
  10. 10China, Hong Kong SARUS$ 446 mn 3%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 2.08 bn 13.5%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 1.92 bn 12.4%
  3. 3FranceUS$ 977 mn 6.3%
  4. 4CanadaUS$ 922 mn 6%
  5. 5United KingdomUS$ 919 mn 6%
  6. 6NetherlandsUS$ 618 mn 4%
  7. 7SwitzerlandUS$ 505 mn 3.3%
  8. 8AustriaUS$ 442 mn 2.9%
  9. 9PolandUS$ 416 mn 2.7%
  10. 10MexicoUS$ 382 mn 2.5%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

United States of AmericaUS$ 2.28 bnIndia 5.2% · gap US$ 2.16 bn
GermanyUS$ 1.8 bnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 1.8 bn
CanadaUS$ 935 mnIndia 0.5% · gap US$ 930 mn
United KingdomUS$ 919 mnIndia 3% · gap US$ 892 mn
FranceUS$ 821 mnIndia 0.5% · gap US$ 817 mn
NetherlandsUS$ 659 mnIndia 0.7% · gap US$ 654 mn
SpainUS$ 332 mnIndia 0.7% · gap US$ 330 mn
ChinaUS$ 301 mnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 301 mn
AustraliaUS$ 299 mnIndia 1.2% · gap US$ 295 mn
ItalyUS$ 240 mnIndia 1% · gap US$ 237 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export books and printed matter

Books trade is led by the USA, UK, Germany and China, both as publishers and printers. India has become a significant printing base for English-language publishers because of skilled typesetting, editorial and print capacity at competitive cost, and it also exports its own publishers' titles. Demand for printed books has held up despite e-books, especially for children's, educational and illustrated titles. African school-textbook programmes are a large market for Indian printers. Openings are in contract printing for UK and US publishers, textbooks for African and Asian tenders, and diaspora markets for Indian-language and religious books.

  1. 01Confirm rights

    Check you or the publisher hold rights for the destination territory.

  2. 02Quote

    Price per copy by page count, paper, binding and run length.

  3. 03Pre-press and proofs

    Prepare files, send proofs and get signed approval.

  4. 04Print and bind

    Print, bind and check quality against the approved sample.

  5. 05Pack

    Shrink-wrap, carton and palletise to the publisher's instructions.

  6. 06Ship and claim

    File the shipping bill under 4901, claim RoDTEP (1.1%) and drawback (1.5%).

  7. 07Get paid

    Publishers often pay on 30–90 day terms; insure the receivable with ECGC.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting books and printed matter

Do I need an ISBN to export books?
Customs does not require one, but distributors and online stores do. ISBNs are free from the national ISBN agency.
Can I export Indian editions of foreign books?
Only if the licence allows those territories. Many Indian editions are restricted to the Indian subcontinent.
What incentives apply?
RoDTEP of 1.1% and duty drawback of 1.5% of FOB for printed books under 4901.
Which council should I join?
CAPEXIL, which covers books, publishing and printing.
Can I ship books by post?
Yes. Small consignments can go through India Post or courier export routes with an electronic declaration; keep invoices and IEC ready.
Sources (8)
  1. CAPEXIL — official site
  2. Raja Rammohun Roy National Agency for ISBN — Ministry of Education
  3. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
  4. European Commission — Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR)
  5. US CPSC — Business guidance for manufacturers and importers
  6. Central Pulp and Paper Research Institute (CPPRI), Saharanpur
  7. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10.10.2024 (Notification 32/2024-25); rates continued to 31.12.2026 by Notification 41/2026-27
  8. Gazette of India — Notification 77/2023-Customs (N.T.) dated 20.10.2023: All Industry Rates of duty drawback

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