Do I still get reduced tariffs on Indian goods under GSP?

No. India was removed from the Generalized System of Preferences in 2019, and the GSP program has since lapsed. Indian goods generally enter at standard Column 1 duty rates. Confirm the current rate for your product’s HTS code, because additional tariffs can apply and the policy changes.

What is the most common reason Indian shipments get held?

Product-specific agency problems — especially FDA issues with food, spices, ayurvedic, and herbal products — and documentation defects like expired phytosanitary or sanitary certificates. Classification and origin-marking errors are close behind.

Do I need an import license to bring goods from India?

There is no general import license. You import as the importer of record with a customs bond and standard entry documents. Specific products (FDA- or USDA-regulated goods, for example) carry their own registration or permit requirements.

Who is responsible if the entry is wrong?

The importer of record — you. The duty of reasonable care stays with you even when a customs broker files the paperwork, so review what is filed and keep your records for five years. Importing from India is straightforward once you stop assuming preferential treatment and start with the right HTS code and the right agency. Reidel Law Firm advises importers on classification, duty exposure, FSVP and FDA requirements, and reasonable-care programs on flat-fee terms. Get an import compliance memo.

How to Import from India to the US

Importing from India means clearing your goods through U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as the importer of record, classifying each product under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, and meeting the rules of whichever U.S. agency regulates that product — FDA for food, drugs, and cosmetics; USDA for many agricultural goods; CPSC for consumer products. The process is the standard U.S. import process; what trips up India importers is assuming preferential duty treatment that no longer exists and missing the product-specific agency requirements.

This guide covers the compliance pieces that actuall