Import Your Products from India - Profitably

Import from India to Australia

India could easily be broken into five or more countries, it is so large and diverse so it’s not surprising that there are tens of thousands of export capable manufacturers there that will interest businesses and start-ups looking to import from India.

I have travelled through a lot different parts of India – from Kashmir in the north to Kerala in the south. Travelling by foot, motorbike, bus, train, plane, rickshaw and taxi I have seen a wide range of industries there that produce high quality products, many are export capable and are ideal for importing from India to the United States, Australia and Britain.

What Products to Import from India?

There are of course lots more industries with great products in India; you just have to uncover them.

Top 3 Challenges when Importing from India?

1. Suitability for the market – we talk a lot about ‘market fit’ for your product. I found that particularly in the north, there were lots of quality bags, clothing and shoes but not really what I or my friends would wear. However in the south, in Kerala and Karnataka, there was a lot more Western style fashion that would import well to Australia, UK and US.

2. Consistent quality – it’s not always a great idea to be the first export client of a manufacturer. We always tell our clients to find manufacturers with proven western market customers. So I have seen where issues arise with a lack of automation in manufacturing production. For example, you might expect commercial equipment to automatically glue a component together (fabric to rubber); often in India these tasks are still done manually because it can be much cheaper to employ people than spend on costly equipment.

3. Cost of business – this is not a problem restricted to India and quite common in many leading supplier markets overseas. Things don’t get done with one email, one visit and when you think they are clear to you, they are less clear to the Indian seller. We might both speak English and maybe we both even like cricket (well UK and Australians anyway), but I firmly believe there are just as big cultural differences between India and Australia than between China and Australia. It adds to misunderstandings, expectations and the negotiations. Costing you time and slowing down product to market.

How to Get Started Importing from India?

Here is what we suggest for:

The key is to be adaptable, properly validate your product before investing in it and don’t try to DIY everything. Importing and launching product is a niche skill area and speed to market is critical to success, so don’t waste time self-learning from each mistake you make.