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Pharma & chemicals

Export soaps and detergents

Toilet and laundry soaps, detergent powders and surfactants; the UAE, USA and Bangladesh lead.

Free to exportHS 3401
HS code
3401
Soap in bars, cakes, flakes or liquid form (3401); surface-active agents, washing and cleaning preparations, detergents (3402).
Export policy
Free to export
Free to export under ITC(HS) Schedule 2 as checked in November 2026. Toilet soaps are cosmetics under Indian law and need a cosmetic manufacturing licence; laundry soaps and detergents follow BIS standards for the home market. Confirm your exact 8-digit line on the DGFT ITC(HS) search before you ship.
Registrations
3
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 803 mn
to 161 countries

What is exported

India exports toilet soaps (including herbal and ayurvedic-style bars), laundry soaps, detergent powders and surfactants such as LABSA. Large plants are in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, with many small soap makers in every state. In 2025-26 India exported about US$ 159 million of soap (HS 3401), led by the UAE and the USA, and about US$ 644 million of detergents and surfactants (3402), led by the UAE, the USA and Bangladesh.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Toilet soapsHerbal, glycerine, sandalwood and medicated bars.
  • Laundry soapsDetergent cakes and bars.
  • Detergent powders and liquidsRetail and bulk washing preparations (3402).
  • SurfactantsLABSA, SLES and other surface-active agents for industry.

Where it is grown or made

  • Maharashtra and GujaratMumbai, Nagpur; Ahmedabad, Vadodara
  • Uttar Pradesh and Himachal PradeshKanpur, Ghaziabad; Baddi
  • Kerala and Tamil NaduKochi, Kozhikode; Chennai
  • KarnatakaBengaluru and Mysuru (sandalwood soaps)

Export packing

  • Each bar in a printed wrapper or carton, packed in inner shrink packs and corrugated cartons.
  • Detergent powder in laminated pouches inside bales or cartons; liquids in sealed bottles or drums.
  • Net weight, ingredients, maker and country of origin on every pack.

Who buys abroad

  • FMCG distributors and wholesalers
  • Indian grocery chains abroad
  • Hotel amenity suppliers
  • Industrial buyers of surfactants

The quality buyers ask for

Total fatty matter (TFM)
Grade 1 toilet soap 76% min. TFM under IS 2888; laundry soap grades under IS 285 — or the buyer's figure
Moisture and free alkali
Within the limits of the standard named in the contract
Weight
Net weight per bar at packing and allowance for moisture loss
Detergents
Active matter %, biodegradability of surfactants (EU Detergents Regulation), phosphate content where restricted
Fragrance
IFRA-compliant fragrance; EU allergens declared above thresholds

Certificates

  • Cosmetic manufacturing licence (toilet soaps)RequiredToilet soaps are cosmetics under Indian law and need this licence.
  • EU cosmetics compliance (toilet soaps)Often askedResponsible Person, safety report and CPNP notification.
  • EU Detergents Regulation complianceOften askedBiodegradability and labelling for detergents sold in the EU.
  • ISO 22716 / ISO 9001Often askedQuality systems buyers often ask for.
  • Halal certificateOften askedAsked for by many Gulf and South-East Asian buyers.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

A 20-ft container typically holds about 12–18 tonnes of soap in cartons; detergent powder fills by volume.

How it travels

Sea freight; road to Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.

Storage

Cool, dry storage; avoid heat that softens bars or cakes powder.

Shelf life

Typically two to three years for soap bars as stated by the maker.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Product name, net weight, ingredients, maker and country of origin; batch and date.
  • EU toilet soaps: cosmetic labelling with INCI list and Responsible Person; detergents: ingredient bands and dosing instructions under Regulation (EC) 648/2004.
  • Arabic or local language for the Gulf and other markets as required.
Where to get it tested

NABL-accredited chemical labs test TFM, moisture, free alkali and detergent active matter (search 'soaps' or 'detergents' in the NABL directory). BIS-recognised labs test to IS 2888 and IS 285.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • CHEMEXCILCosmetics and toiletries are listed under CHEMEXCIL in Appendix 2T; take your RCMC from CHEMEXCIL.chemexcil.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • EU: toilet soaps are cosmetics under Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 (Responsible Person, safety report, CPNP); detergents must meet the Detergents Regulation (EC) 648/2004 on biodegradability and labelling.
  • USA: a "true soap" (only fats and alkali, sold as soap) is regulated by CPSC; soaps with cosmetic or drug claims fall under FDA.
  • Total fatty matter (TFM), moisture and free alkali per the buyer's or BIS standard (IS 2888 toilet soap, IS 285 laundry soap).
How to start small

Herbal toilet soaps and laundry bars for Indian grocery stores abroad, Gulf distributors and Nepal are a common start. Fix TFM and weight per bar, print multilingual wrappers, and ship a mixed container on advance or LC terms.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Bars shrinking in weight through moisture loss — declared net weight must hold at the shelf.
  • Cosmetic or "antibacterial" claims that need registration in the buyer country.
  • Fragrance allergens not listed on EU labels.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (6)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 3401 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) and SCOMET list (Appendix 3)
  4. European Commission — Cosmetics (Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009)
  5. EUR-Lex — Regulation (EC) No 648/2004 on detergents
  6. CHEMEXCIL — official site

Trade data

Indian soaps and detergents exports in numbers

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

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 803 mn
+7.3% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↓ -0.8%
US$ 809 mn → US$ 803 mn
Buyer countries
161
Average export price
US$ 1.85
per kg · 4,33,137 tonnes shipped · US$ 1.81 the year before
United Arab Emirates: US$ 96.2 mnUnited States of America: US$ 64.5 mnBangladesh: US$ 44.2 mnNepal: US$ 39.6 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 39.4 mnBrazil: US$ 38 mnRussia: US$ 33.6 mnSri Lanka: US$ 31.5 mnSingapore: US$ 24.4 mnIndonesia: US$ 18.8 mnPhilippines: US$ 18.7 mnTürkiye: US$ 17.8 mnCanada: US$ 14 mnThailand: US$ 13.8 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 13.2 mnMalaysia: US$ 13.2 mnKenya: US$ 12.5 mnEgypt: US$ 12.2 mnVietnam: US$ 12.2 mnSouth Africa: US$ 12.2 mnNetherlands: US$ 11.6 mnTanzania: US$ 11.3 mnAustralia: US$ 10.6 mnChina: US$ 10.1 mnMexico: US$ 10.1 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 96.2 mnUnited Arab EmiratesUnited States of America: US$ 64.5 mnUnited States of AmericaBangladesh: US$ 44.2 mnBangladeshNepal: US$ 39.6 mnNepalSaudi Arabia: US$ 39.4 mnBrazil: US$ 38 mnBrazilRussia: US$ 33.6 mnRussiaSri Lanka: US$ 31.5 mnSingapore: US$ 24.4 mnIndonesia: US$ 18.8 mnPhilippines: US$ 18.7 mnTürkiye: US$ 17.8 mnCanada: US$ 14 mnThailand: US$ 13.8 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 13.2 mnMalaysia: US$ 13.2 mnKenya: US$ 12.5 mnEgypt: US$ 12.2 mnVietnam: US$ 12.2 mnSouth Africa: US$ 12.2 mnNetherlands: US$ 11.6 mnTanzania: US$ 11.3 mnAustralia: US$ 10.6 mnChina: US$ 10.1 mnMexico: US$ 10.1 mnIndia
Where Indian soaps and detergents goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 563 mn5632020-212021-22: US$ 658 mn6582021-222022-23: US$ 721 mn7212022-232023-24: US$ 763 mn7632023-242024-25: US$ 809 mn8092024-252025-26: US$ 803 mn8032025-26
India’s soaps and detergents exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2022-23, lowest in 2020-21 — a 39% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 1.50 per kg1.502021-22: US$ 1.78 per kg2022-23: US$ 2.08 per kg2.082024-25: US$ 1.81 per kg2025-26: US$ 1.85 per kg1.852020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian soaps and detergents · 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$ 563 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 658 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 721 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 763 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 809 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 803 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 912 mn (US$ 849 mn – US$ 980 mn)9122026-272027-28: US$ 978 mn (US$ 903 mn – US$ 1.06 bn)9782027-28
India’s soaps and detergents exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 978 mn

Likely range US$ 903 mn to US$ 1.06 bn.

Trend
+7.2% a year
Fit (R²)
0.89
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 Arab EmiratesUS$ 96.2 mn+6%
2United States of AmericaUS$ 64.5 mn-35%
3BangladeshUS$ 44.2 mn-19.2%
4NepalUS$ 39.6 mn-8.2%
5Saudi ArabiaUS$ 39.4 mn+5.6%
6BrazilUS$ 38 mn-13.2%
7RussiaUS$ 33.6 mn+39.3%
8Sri LankaUS$ 31.5 mn+16.3%
9SingaporeUS$ 24.4 mn+55.5%
10IndonesiaUS$ 18.8 mn+22.4%
11PhilippinesUS$ 18.7 mn+6%
12TürkiyeUS$ 17.8 mn+1.1%

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. SingaporeUS$ 15.7 mn → US$ 24.4 mn+55.5%
  2. AustraliaUS$ 7.5 mn → US$ 10.6 mn+40.7%
  3. NetherlandsUS$ 8.3 mn → US$ 11.6 mn+40%
  4. TanzaniaUS$ 8.1 mn → US$ 11.3 mn+39.5%
  5. RussiaUS$ 24.1 mn → US$ 33.6 mn+39.3%
  6. IndonesiaUS$ 15.4 mn → US$ 18.8 mn+22.4%
  7. South AfricaUS$ 10 mn → US$ 12.2 mn+21.3%
  8. CanadaUS$ 12 mn → US$ 14 mn+16.7%

Low demand

  1. ArgentinaUS$ 8.8 mn → US$ 3.7 mn-58%
  2. United States of AmericaUS$ 99.2 mn → US$ 64.5 mn-35%
  3. BangladeshUS$ 54.7 mn → US$ 44.2 mn-19.2%
  4. ThailandUS$ 16.8 mn → US$ 13.8 mn-17.8%
  5. BrazilUS$ 43.8 mn → US$ 38 mn-13.2%

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
Non-ionic (other organic surface active agents, whether or not put up for retail sale)3402 42 00 · Organic surface-active agents, non-ionic, whether or not put up for retail saleUS$ 192 mn-1%89,108 tonnesUS$ 2.16 per kgwas US$ 2.14
Linear alkylbenzenesulphonic acids and their salts (anionic organic surface active agents, whether or not put up for retail sale)3402 31 00 · Anionic organic surface-active agents, linear alkylbenzene sulphonic acids and their salts, whether or not…US$ 133 mn-9.3%99,027 tonnesUS$ 1.34 per kgwas US$ 1.26
Others-of-others-of-orgnc surface-actv agents(other thn soap)other washing prpns whether or not containing soap other than those of heading no 33402 39 00 · Anionic organic surface-active agents, other than linear alkylbenzene sulphonic acids and their salts…US$ 121 mn+7.9%61,295 tonnesUS$ 1.98 per kgwas US$ 1.74
Other soap and orgnc surface active productfor tiolet use (including medicated prdcts)3401 11 90 · Soap and organic surface-active products, in the form of bars, cakes, moulded shapes, and paper, wadding…US$ 81 mn-1.2%28,366 tonnesUS$ 2.85 per kgwas US$ 2.85
Other (other preparations) not elsewhere specified3402 90 99 · Washing and cleaning preparations, surface-active, whether or not containing soap, including auxiliary…US$ 62.6 mn+27.5%29,301 tonnesUS$ 2.14 per kgwas US$ 2.22
Others-of-others-of-orgnc surface-actv agents(other thn soap)other washing prpns whether or not containing soap other than those of heading no 33402 49 00 · Organic surface-active agents, whether or not put up for retail sale in item no. 3402US$ 55.8 mn+13.9%38,564 tonnesUS$ 1.45 per kgwas US$ 1.32
Preparations put up for retail sale (other organic surface active agents)3402 50 00 · Washing and cleaning preparations, powders, flakes and granules, surface-active, whether or not containing…US$ 29.5 mn-7.7%13,668 tonnesUS$ 2.16 per kgwas US$ 2.60
Other organic surface-active prod(toilet)3401 30 19 · Organic surface-active products and preparations for washing the skin, in the form of liquid or cream and…US$ 24.4 mn-8.5%10,551 tonnesUS$ 2.32 per kgwas US$ 2.38
Washing and cleaning preparations having basis of soap/other organic surface active(synthetic detergents)3402 90 11 · Washing and cleaning preparations, surface-active, whether or not containing soap, including auxiliary…US$ 19 mn+2.3%23,402 tonnesUS$ 0.81 per kgwas US$ 0.79
Soap and organic surface-active products, in the form of bars, cakes, moulded shapes, and paper, wadding… — medicated soaps3401 11 10US$ 15.8 mn+7.6%4,767 tonnesUS$ 3.32 per kgwas US$ 3.10
Other organic surface-active product not elsewhere specified3401 30 90 · Organic surface-active products and preparations for washing the skin, in the form of liquid or cream and…US$ 15.6 mn-6.5%4,237 tonnesUS$ 3.67 per kgwas US$ 4.24
Other (synthetic detergents)3402 90 19 · Washing and cleaning preparations, surface-active, whether or not containing soap, including auxiliary…US$ 9.1 mn+16.9%7,029 tonnesUS$ 1.30 per kgwas US$ 1.60
Soap, in forms in item no. 3401.11 — soap in other forms3401 20 00US$ 6.9 mn-3.4%4,490 tonnesUS$ 1.53 per kgwas US$ 1.53
Cationic (other organic surface active agents, whether or not put up for retail sale)3402 41 00 · Organic surface-active agents, cationic, whether or not put up for retail saleUS$ 6.7 mn+29.3%2,724 tonnesUS$ 2.44 per kgwas US$ 2.53

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$ 52.2 bn
2023
India among exporters
#20
of 164 countries
India’s share of world exports
1.4%
US$ 759 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 52.6 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1GermanyUS$ 5.61 bn 10.5%
  2. 2USAUS$ 4.83 bn 9.1%
  3. 3ChinaUS$ 4.75 bn 8.9%
  4. 4FranceUS$ 3.06 bn 5.7%
  5. 5ItalyUS$ 2.63 bn 4.9%
  6. 6PolandUS$ 2.62 bn 4.9%
  7. 7NetherlandsUS$ 2.45 bn 4.6%
  8. 8United KingdomUS$ 1.82 bn 3.4%
  9. 9BelgiumUS$ 1.81 bn 3.4%
  10. 10SpainUS$ 1.74 bn 3.3%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1GermanyUS$ 3.98 bn 7.6%
  2. 2USAUS$ 3.59 bn 6.9%
  3. 3FranceUS$ 2.68 bn 5.1%
  4. 4ChinaUS$ 2.67 bn 5.1%
  5. 5United KingdomUS$ 2.42 bn 4.6%
  6. 6CanadaUS$ 2.38 bn 4.6%
  7. 7NetherlandsUS$ 1.83 bn 3.5%
  8. 8PolandUS$ 1.3 bn 2.5%
  9. 9ItalyUS$ 1.23 bn 2.4%
  10. 10BelgiumUS$ 1.11 bn 2.1%

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.

GermanyUS$ 4.13 bnIndia 0.2% · gap US$ 4.12 bn
United States of AmericaUS$ 4.08 bnIndia 2.5% · gap US$ 3.98 bn
FranceUS$ 2.77 bnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 2.77 bn
ChinaUS$ 2.65 bnIndia 0.3% · gap US$ 2.64 bn
CanadaUS$ 2.52 bnIndia 0.6% · gap US$ 2.5 bn
United KingdomUS$ 2.42 bnIndia 0.4% · gap US$ 2.41 bn
NetherlandsUS$ 1.8 bnIndia 0.3% · gap US$ 1.79 bn
ItalyUS$ 1.3 bnIndia 0.5% · gap US$ 1.3 bn
SpainUS$ 1.09 bnIndia 0.6% · gap US$ 1.08 bn
JapanUS$ 928 mnIndia 0.2% · gap US$ 927 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 soaps and detergents

India has a large soap and detergent industry, from multinational plants to thousands of small makers, and exports mainly to the Gulf, neighbouring countries and the diaspora. Germany, the USA, China, Turkey and Indonesia lead world trade in soaps and detergents. Demand comes from population growth and hygiene awareness in Africa and Asia, interest in herbal and handmade soaps in Western markets, and industrial demand for surfactants. Openings are in herbal and ayurvedic-style soaps, laundry bars for African markets and surfactants for Asian detergent makers.

  1. 01Pick the product

    Herbal toilet soap, laundry bar, detergent powder or surfactant.

  2. 02Fix specification

    TFM, weight, fragrance and packaging with the buyer.

  3. 03Test

    TFM, moisture and free alkali at an NABL lab; stability.

  4. 04Register where needed

    EU CPNP for toilet soaps; Gulf product registration.

  5. 05Print and pack

    Multilingual wrappers; shrink packs and cartons.

  6. 06Ship and claim

    File the shipping bill; claim RoDTEP and drawback.

  7. 07Payment

    Advance or LC; FMCG distributors may ask for credit later — use ECGC cover.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting soaps and detergents

Is soap a cosmetic?
In India and the EU, toilet soap is a cosmetic. In the USA, plain "true soap" is regulated by CPSC, while soaps with cosmetic or drug claims fall under FDA.
What is TFM?
Total fatty matter — the share of soap-making fats in the bar; higher TFM usually means a better grade.
Which council?
CHEMEXCIL (cosmetics and toiletries).
What RoDTEP applies?
Soaps under 3401 carry 0.8% of FOB; most detergent lines 0.8–0.9%.
Can I call my soap "antibacterial"?
Only if the buyer country allows the claim and you have proof; in some markets it makes the product a biocide or drug.
Sources (6)
  1. European Commission — Cosmetics (Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009)
  2. EUR-Lex — Regulation (EC) No 648/2004 on detergents
  3. CHEMEXCIL — official site
  4. Bureau of Indian Standards — official site
  5. NABL — search for accredited testing laboratories
  6. 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

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