Import duty on toilet paper from Dubai (UAE) to India
HS 48181000 · Dubai / UAE → India · TOILET PAPER AND SIMILAR PAPER
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.
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 | ₹0 |
| Social Welfare Surcharge | ₹10,000 | ₹0 |
| IGST | ₹1,99,800 | ₹1,80,000 |
| Total duty | ₹3,09,800 | ₹1,80,000 |
CEPA duty saving on this example: ₹1,29,800 . Run your own numbers in the import-duty estimator. New to BCD, SWS and IGST? See the glossary.
What drives the rate
Importing toilet paper (HS 48181000) from the UAE to India attracts a 10% MFN basic customs duty, and the India–UAE CEPA preferential rate is 0%. Toilet tissue is a staple consumer product where Indian consumption is rising steadily with urbanisation and hygiene awareness. CEPA removes the basic duty. Tissue converting is capital-light, so the 40% regional-value-content rule can be met where the UAE converts parent reels locally — but check whether the parent reel itself was imported, because converting alone may not add sufficient value and that is the question the value limb exists to ask. Packaged-commodity labelling under the Legal Metrology Act applies to retail packs, printed at origin rather than applied at the port. Freight economics matter here too: tissue is bulky and low-density, so a container carries more freight cost than duty, which is precisely why the duty saving is what makes the trade work at all. India's schedule (Annex 2A, modality TEI) took this line to zero in the agreement's first year, 2022, so the preference is fully phased in and nothing further changes. The preference is worth 11% of assessable value on every consignment — the 10-point basic-duty gap plus the 10% Social Welfare Surcharge that rides on it — so it scales with shipment size rather than with effort, and the Certificate of Origin costs the same either way. 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, so the durable benefit is the basic duty alone. Confirm the live rate on ICEGATE before filing; ₹10,00,000 is only the worked example above.
Import compliance & clearances
Beyond duty, importing toilet paper (HS 48181000) 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 ↗
- Legal Metrology Model approval under the Legal Metrology Act for weighing and measuring instruments, plus packaged-commodity declarations on any retail pack. 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 toilet paper from the UAE to India?
- The standard MFN basic customs duty is 10%; under India–UAE CEPA the preferential rate is 0%. SWS adds 10% on the basic duty and 18% IGST applies on the CIF + BCD + SWS base.
- How much can CEPA save on toilet paper?
- On a CIF value of ₹10,00,000, total duty falls from ₹3,09,800 (MFN) to ₹1,80,000 (CEPA) — about ₹1,29,800 saved per shipment, scaling with consignment value.
- What do I need to claim the CEPA rate on toilet paper?
- 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.