- Global Trade
- Customs & Trade Compliance
Customs Compliance and Trade Advisory for Importers and Exporters in India
In India, importers work out their own customs duty and file it themselves. That puts the risk on you. If a classification was wrong three years ago and nobody noticed, it is still wrong today, and so is every shipment since. We review how your goods are classified, valued and documented, and tell you what is safe, what is exposed and where you may be paying more than you need to.
- Reviews of classification, valuation and origin
- Help with duty drawback, RoDTEP and trade agreement benefits
- Support on AEO certification, SVB matters and anti-dumping cases
Talk About Customs Compliance
Confidential. We usually reply within one business day.
What Is Customs Compliance?
Customs compliance means following the rules that apply when goods enter or leave India: classifying them correctly, declaring the right value, claiming the right origin, paying the right duty and keeping the papers to prove it. Because duty is self-assessed, the customs department can come back later and question what was declared. Compliance is what lets you answer that calmly.
Where Companies Lose Money or Take on Risk
- HS code classification was done once, years ago, and nobody has checked it since.
- Customs valuation of imports from a related company is done in a way the department may question.
- Origin claims for trade agreement rates are made without the documents to support them.
- Drawback or RoDTEP scheme benefits go unclaimed, or are claimed on the wrong basis.
- A notice arrives and the reply is rushed because nobody owns the file.
Most of these are quiet problems. They do not cause trouble until an audit or a notice brings them up, and by then the amount at stake covers several years.
What We Cover
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Customs Valuation and Classification
Classification decides your duty rate, and valuation decides what the duty is charged on. In a customs compliance review we check HS code classification against the tariff and the product itself, and test customs valuation against invoices, payments and any links between buyer and seller. We also look at rules of origin where you claim lower rates under a trade agreement. The result is a list of what is right, what is doubtful and what needs fixing.
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Duty Optimization
There are legitimate ways to pay less, and many companies miss them. We check whether you are claiming duty drawback on imported inputs that go into exported goods, whether the RoDTEP scheme applies to your exports, and whether you are using trade agreement preferences you qualify for. Each one needs the right paperwork, so we set it up to hold up if it is ever examined.
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AEO Certification
The Authorised Economic Operator programme gives trusted traders smoother clearance, with fewer inspections and faster release. It is not right for every business. We help you judge whether AEO certification is worth the effort for your volumes, then prepare the application and the internal controls the assessors will look for.
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SVB Proceedings
When a company imports from a related party, the department can open a Special Valuation Branch matter to test whether the price was influenced by the relationship. These cases turn on evidence, such as transfer pricing records, contracts and payment trails. We help you assemble it, prepare the submissions and be ready for the hearing.
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Anti-Dumping and Trade Remedies
Anti-dumping duty and safeguard duty can change the cost of a product overnight. When the trade remedies authority starts an investigation, importers, exporters and domestic producers all have a chance to be heard. We help you understand what a possible anti-dumping duty means for you and prepare your submissions on time.
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Trade Compliance Audit
An audit looks at the whole chain: classification, valuation, origin, licences, scheme benefits and documents. You get a view of your exposure and your possible savings, plus a ranked plan for fixing things. It typically takes four to eight weeks.
How a Customs Review Works
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You send us a sample of bills of entry, shipping bills, invoices and any classification records or rulings.
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We check classification and valuation line by line against the tariff and the rules.
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We test your origin claims and scheme benefits against the supporting papers.
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We report what we found: exposure, recoverable amounts and what to fix first.
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We help you put changes in place going forward, with legal advice where past filings need to be corrected.
Practical Points That Catch People Out
These look routine. Each one has turned into a bigger problem for someone.
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Copying a classification from the last shipment, or from a supplier's invoice, without checking it.
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Treating a small difference between invoice values as unimportant when the department sees a pattern.
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Not keeping the origin certificate and supporting papers for trade agreement claims.
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Missing the deadline on a notice because it went to the wrong inbox.
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Overlooking notifications that change rates or scheme benefits, which happens often.
If You Also Trade Globally, Including the UAE
Goods moving between India and the UAE or other global markets raise duty and origin questions in both directions. The India UAE trade agreement can lower or remove duty on eligible goods, and whether yours qualify depends on classification and origin.
If you are planning to sell in the UAE, see our market entry page for the UAE. For companies coming into India, our market entry work for India covers the wider plan.
Who We Help
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Importers of raw materials, components and finished goods
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Exporters claiming drawback, RoDTEP or similar benefits
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Manufacturers who bring in inputs and ship products out
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Foreign companies sending goods to India for the first time
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Groups with related-party imports that may attract valuation questions
Why Work With GMS
Ganpati Management Services (GMS) is based in Noida and has been advising businesses since 2009. As a customs consultant for importers and exporters, we review how your goods are classified, valued and documented, and we explain what we find in plain language.
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You get one named contact who stays with your account, not a different person on each call.
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Fees are based on what you need, not on a fixed package.
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Day-to-day clearance is done by a licensed customs broker, so we work alongside yours.
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When a matter needs a customs lawyer, we say so and bring one in.
Frequently Asked Questions
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It means classifying goods correctly, declaring the right value and origin, paying the right duty and keeping the papers to prove it. Because duty is self-assessed in India, the responsibility sits with the importer.
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Often, yes. A review can show overpaid duty from wrong classification, unused trade agreement rates, and unclaimed schemes such as duty drawback or RoDTEP. Every saving still has to be backed by the right documents.
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Classification, valuation, origin, licences, scheme benefits and documents. You receive a view of exposure and savings and a ranked plan to fix issues, typically within four to eight weeks.
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Yes. We help with the evidence, the submissions and preparation for hearings in Special Valuation Branch matters on related-party imports.
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It depends on how often you ship and how much delay costs you. For frequent traders, faster clearance can be worth the effort. We assess that first, before any application.
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Yes. We help you understand what the case means for your business and prepare submissions to the trade remedies authority within the deadlines.
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No. Clearance itself is done by a licensed customs broker. We review how it is done and work with your broker.
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Do not ignore it, and note the reply deadline straight away. Send it to us and we will help prepare the response, and bring in a customs lawyer if the matter needs one.
Not Sure Where Your Customs Position Stands?
Send us a few recent shipments and tell us what you import or export. We will say plainly what we would check first.
Talk About Customs Compliance