Find importers and wholesalers in India

If you want to sell your product in a country, you mostly need a wholesaler that can also act as your importer.

It strongly depends on your expectations of such an importer how easy you can find him.

If you just want to outsource the formalities and some logistics, you will easily find a party. If you look for an importer that will also find retailers or direct customers for your product, this may be more difficult.

Importers and wholesalers in India

India is the most populous country in the world, with about 1.4 billion people. Its GDP per capita was approximately $2,500 USD in 2023, but the size of the market and its growth rate make it one of the most important economies for exporters.

Services, in particular IT and business services, account for a large share of the economy. Manufacturing is growing quickly, supported by government programmes, while agriculture still employs a large part of the population.

India’s main imports include crude oil, gold, electronics, coal, machinery, chemicals and edible oils. Import duties and product registration requirements differ strongly per product group, so a local importer who knows the procedures is often essential.

Key cities include Mumbai, the financial capital and a major port; New Delhi, the political centre; Bengaluru, the heart of the technology sector; and Chennai and Kolkata as important industrial and port cities.

What an importer really does

An importer or wholesaler can take over customs clearance, storage, product checks, repacking and returns handling. Often it also acts as importer of record: the party legally responsible for the goods in the country.

Decide what you expect. A party that only handles the formalities and the logistics is easy to find. One that also actively sells your product to retailers or end customers is much harder, and will ask for margin, exclusivity or marketing support in return.

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Finding an importer in India in three steps

Step 1

Decide what you need

Formalities and logistics only, or active selling as well? Your answer decides which parties fit and how much margin you have to give away.

Step 2

Shortlist and check

Look for parties that already import comparable products. Check their licences, their storage, their customer base and whether they can act as importer of record.

Step 3

Agree the terms

Settle pricing, stock levels, who owns the goods, who pays duties and VAT, and how complaints and returns are handled before the first shipment leaves.