Customs duty from India to European Union: Import Duty Guide

Key Takeaways

• An EU-India Free Trade Agreement was signed on 27 January 2026, concluding negotiations that resumed in 2022 after being stalled since 2013 - but as of this writing it is NOT yet in force.
• EU-side ratification (Council approval plus European Parliament consent) is expected to take roughly a year, with entry into force currently anticipated only in early 2027.
• Until the FTA takes effect, India-origin goods pay the EU’s standard MFN duty - cited at up to roughly 12% on textiles and apparel, since India currently gets no preferential margin on that category (having lost EU GSP textile eligibility some years ago).
• Once in force, the FTA is reported to eliminate EU duty on around 90% of Indian goods, including that textile tariff - a significant before-and-after contrast, but one that hasn’t happened yet.
• EU imports from India reached €69.5 billion in 2025, within combined bilateral trade of just over €118 billion.

India-EU Trade at a Glance

EU imports from India reached €69.5 billion in 2025, against €48.9 billion in EU exports to India - combined bilateral goods trade of just over €118 billion (Consilium, “EU-India trade relations: facts and figures”).

Is There a Trade Deal Between India and the EU? (Signed, But Not Yet In Force)

This is genuinely important to get right, since it’s easy to see “EU-India FTA” referenced as if it’s already operating and assume it applies today. It doesn’t, yet. Negotiations resumed in 2022 after being stalled since 2013, and formally concluded on 26-27 January 2026 - the agreement was signed in New Delhi on 27 January 2026 (European Commission, “EU and India conclude landmark Free Trade Agreement,” press release, 27 January 2026). India ratifies through a comparatively fast Union Cabinet executive decision, but the EU side requires both Council of the EU approval and European Parliament consent, covering tariffs, services, and digital trade together as one package - a process expected to take roughly a year. Entry into force is currently expected only in early 2027 (ORF, “The India-EU FTA: From Political Agreement to Ratification and Coming into Force”). A separate Investment Protection Agreement wasn’t settled alongside the trade text and remains outstanding.

How Much Will You Pay Importing from India to the EU Right Now?

As of this writing, in practice, India-origin goods move under the EU’s standard MFN tariff - the FTA has no current legal effect, so the “FTA available” answer for today’s shipments is no, even though a real, signed agreement exists. This matters most for textiles and apparel specifically: India lost its EU GSP preferential eligibility for that category some years ago, so it currently gets no preferential margin at all, with MFN rates on many textile and garment lines cited at up to roughly 12%. Standard EU mechanics otherwise apply: since 1 July 2026, orders under €150 from an IOSS-registered seller pay a flat €3 duty per item type, non-IOSS orders under €150 stay duty-free, and orders over €150 pay VAT (varying by member state) plus the applicable MFN duty plus a handling fee.

What Changes Once the FTA Actually Takes Effect

Once in force - currently expected in early 2027 - the agreement is reported to eliminate EU duty on around 90% of Indian goods immediately, including that roughly 12% textile and apparel tariff. This would be a significant, genuinely dramatic change for one of the EU’s largest apparel-supplying relationships, comparable in scale to Bangladesh and Vietnam’s existing preferential access. This site will update this page once the agreement is confirmed to have entered into force.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the EU-India FTA in force right now?

No. It was signed on 27 January 2026, but requires EU-side ratification (Council approval plus European Parliament consent) that’s expected to take roughly a year - entry into force is currently anticipated only in early 2027.

What tariff do Indian goods pay into the EU today?

The EU’s standard MFN tariff, since the signed FTA has no legal effect yet. Textiles and apparel specifically face rates cited at up to roughly 12%, since India currently has no active preferential access for that category.

What will change once the FTA is ratified?

The agreement is reported to eliminate EU duty on around 90% of Indian goods immediately upon entry into force, including the textile and apparel tariff - but this hasn’t happened as of this writing.

How big is EU-India trade?

EU imports from India reached €69.5 billion in 2025, within combined bilateral trade of just over €118 billion - a relationship expected to grow further once the signed FTA actually takes effect.