Import duty on cationic organic surface-active agents from Dubai (UAE) to India
HS 34024100 · Dubai / UAE → India · ORGANIC SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENTS
Data last updated: · MFN duty & IGST verified against ICEGATE (Indian Customs EDI). CEPA preferential rate per the India–UAE CEPA schedule. Verify your exact HS line before filing.
No CEPA benefit
This line is excluded from India's India–UAE CEPA tariff offer, so the 10% MFN basic customs duty applies regardless of origin. The goods are normally importable — there is simply no preferential rate to claim.
Duty breakdown on a ₹10,00,000 shipment
Enter your own value to recalculate the table below.
| Component | Standard (MFN) | CEPA |
|---|---|---|
| Basic customs duty | ₹1,00,000 | ₹1,00,000 |
| Social Welfare Surcharge | ₹10,000 | ₹10,000 |
| IGST | ₹1,99,800 | ₹1,99,800 |
| Total duty | ₹3,09,800 | ₹3,09,800 |
CEPA duty saving on this example: ₹0 (no basic-duty benefit at these rates). Run your own numbers in the import-duty estimator. New to BCD, SWS and IGST? See the glossary.
What drives the rate
Importing cationic organic surface-active agents (HS 34024100) from the UAE to India attracts a 10% MFN basic customs duty, and CEPA does not reduce it — this line is excluded from India's tariff offer, so the 10% MFN rate applies whatever the origin. Cationic surfactants are used in fabric softeners, hair conditioners, textile auxiliaries and as biocides. The 10% MFN basic duty applies with no CEPA reduction, and the 18% IGST is recoverable, so the basic duty is the only lasting cost. Two things are worth knowing before treating that as settled. First, this is an HS-2022 code with no direct line in India's Annex 2A schedule, which is written in HS-2017 — the absence of a concession here is the conservative reading, not a quoted exclusion, and it is flagged as such rather than presented as certain. Second, the tariff is rarely what decides the programme. Cosmetic-grade material pulls the consignment into CDSCO's import-registration regime, which runs entirely separately from customs, applies to the product and the manufacturing site together, and has to be completed before arrival rather than at the port. Biocidal end uses attract further scrutiny again. The Annex 3B rule, if a preference is ever confirmed for this line, is a sub-heading change plus 40% value addition — a real test for a formulated surfactant built from imported feedstock. There is no basic-duty gap to claim on this line at current rates, so a Certificate of Origin buys nothing here today; it is worth re-checking when either the MFN rate or the CEPA schedule moves. Social Welfare Surcharge adds 10% on the basic duty, not on the goods, and IGST of 18% then applies to the CIF + BCD + SWS total — IGST is recoverable as input tax credit, but the basic duty here is a real, unrecoverable cost. Confirm the live rate on ICEGATE before filing; ₹10,00,000 is only the worked example above.
Import compliance & clearances
Beyond duty, importing cationic organic surface-active agents (HS 34024100) into India requires the following regulatory clearances. The CEPA preferential rate does not waive any of these — they apply regardless of origin.
- DGFT Valid IEC (Importer-Exporter Code) required; ITC(HS) import policy: Free source ↗
- CDSCO CDSCO import registration and licence for the product and manufacturing site, with GMP evidence; clearance is independent of any tariff preference. source ↗
Indicative and non-exhaustive — verify the current DGFT / BIS / FSSAI / CDSCO notification for your exact 8-digit HS line before importing. Not customs or legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the import duty on cationic organic surface-active agents from the UAE to India?
- The basic customs duty is 10%. This line is largely excluded from India–UAE CEPA, so no preferential rate applies. SWS adds 10% on the basic duty and 18% IGST applies on top.
- How much can CEPA save on cationic organic surface-active agents?
- At current rates there is no basic-duty saving on this line under CEPA, so the landed duty is the same as the MFN route.
- What do I need to claim the CEPA rate on cationic organic surface-active agents?
- A valid preferential Certificate of Origin (eCoO 2.0) proving UAE origin under the Rules of Origin. Without it, customs charges the 10% MFN rate.