The export document set
A typical export shipment from India includes most of the following. The exact list varies by product, destination and buyer requirement.
Commercial Invoice
The primary commercial document — seller, buyer, product description, HS code, quantity, unit price, total value, currency, Incoterm, payment terms, country of origin. Used for customs valuation and banking.
Packing List
Carton or pallet count, quantity per carton, net weight and gross weight per carton and total, dimensions, volume, shipping marks. Essential for destination handling and customs inspection.
Certificate of Origin
Declares the country in which the goods were manufactured. Issued by authorised chambers (e.g., FIEO). Important where the destination offers preferential tariff treatment for Indian-origin goods.
Bill of Lading / Airway Bill
Transport document issued by the carrier — receipt for goods, evidence of contract of carriage, and (for a negotiable B/L) document of title. Must match CI and PL exactly on consignee, description, weight and packages.
Inspection Certificate
Issued by the inspection agency when pre-shipment inspection has been carried out. Confirms quantity, workmanship, packaging and labelling per AQL. Useful for destination clearance and quality disputes.
Lab Report / Certificate of Analysis
From an accredited lab, for food, agro, chemicals and certain consumer products. Confirms compliance with specified parameters — moisture, pesticide residues, aflatoxin, microbial load, heavy metals, composition.
Phyto / FSSAI / COA (food)
Product-specific food certificates — Phytosanitary Certificate for plant-origin products, FSSAI / Health Certificate for food, COA for parameter confirmation. Mandatory for most food exports.
MSME / IEC copy (on request)
Exporter registration copies — IEC, GST, MSME / Udyam, PAN — provided on request for buyer verification or LC opening. Not part of the standard document set sent with every shipment.
Who prepares what, and when
A practical reference for who is responsible for each document and when it is typically prepared in the export cycle.
| Document | Who prepares | When needed |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Invoice | Exporter (supplier or merchant exporter) | At order confirmation; finalised before shipment |
| Packing List | Exporter | After packing; finalised before shipment |
| Certificate of Origin | Authorised chamber (e.g., FIEO) | Before shipment; based on exporter application |
| Bill of Lading / Airway Bill | Carrier or freight forwarder | After stuffing / dispatch; draft for approval first |
| Inspection Certificate | Inspection agency (SGS, Intertek, BV, TÜV, etc.) | After PSI, before dispatch |
| Lab Report / COA | NABL-accredited lab | 5–10 working days from sampling; before shipment |
| Phytosanitary Certificate | Plant quarantine authority, India | Before shipment (mandatory for plant-origin products) |
| Fumigation / ISPM-15 | Approved fumigation agency | Before shipment, when wood packaging is used |
Documents we coordinate vs documents buyer arranges
An honest division of responsibility — the exporter handles the Indian export side; the buyer handles the destination import side.
Documents we coordinate
- Commercial Invoice
- Packing List
- Certificate of Origin
- Bill of Lading / Airway Bill
- Inspection Certificate (when PSI done)
- Lab Report / COA (when lab testing done)
- Phytosanitary Certificate (plant-origin)
- FSSAI / Health Certificate (food)
- Halal Certificate (where requested)
- Fumigation / ISPM-15 (wood packaging)
- Exporter registration copies (on request)
Documents buyer arranges
- Import declaration / customs entry at destination
- Import licence or permit (where applicable)
- Import duty and tax payment
- Destination port handling and inland transport
- Destination-specific labelling compliance
- Destination food safety / phytosanitary inspection
- Product registration with destination authority
- Customs broker coordination
- Any destination-side inspection required by local authorities
Buyer-side import documents and compliance
The exporter's document set covers the Indian export side. At the destination, the importer is responsible for import clearance, duty payment, destination-specific compliance (food safety, labelling, language, standards), and any required destination-side inspection. The exporter cannot and should not handle destination-side compliance — that is the importer's role in the country of import. We recommend working with a destination customs broker experienced in your product category.
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