India duty-free allowance

Your duty-free allowance is what you can bring into Indiawithout paying import duty or tax. Anything above it must be declared at customs and is taxed. The figures below were checked on 2026-07-31 against the official customs source, linked on the card.

Alcohol

2 L

Full rule

2 litres of alcoholic liquor or wine within the free allowance

Tobacco

100 cigarettes

or 25 cigars / 125 g

Full rule

100 cigarettes OR 25 cigars OR 125g tobacco within the free allowance

Goods & gifts

INR 50,000

residents · INR 15,000 tourists

Full rule

INR 50,000 general free allowance for Indian residents / foreigners residing in India (air arrivals); INR 15,000 for foreign-origin tourists and arrivals from Nepal/Bhutan/Myanmar; infants: used personal effects only

Cash · declare from

USD 5,000+

in notes · USD 10,000 total forex

Full rule

foreign currency NOTES over USD 5,000 or total forex over USD 10,000 must be declared; INR import prohibited for non-residents (residents may carry INR 25,000)

Depends on: resident vs foreign tourist; origin country (Nepal/Bhutan/Myanmar lower); 6-months-abroad rule for dutiable gold (1kg at 13.75%); 1-year-abroad jewellery allowance 20g men / 40g women

Good to know

third-party sources cite 'Baggage Rules 2026' raising allowances to INR 75,000 resident / INR 25,000 tourist, but the official Chennai Customs FAQ still states INR 50,000/15,000 - verify before shipping; gold is a major special case for this corridor

From India's official customs guidance, checked 2026-07-31 ·verify at the source · Guidance, not law — allowances change and the customs officer has the final say. Verify before you fly.

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