India Baggage Rules 2026: Customs duty-free limit, how much jewellery is allowed and more
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Baggage rules in India have changed. Here is what you should know. Photograph: (Unsplash)
Baggage Rules, 2026, have changed the amount of customs-free goods that can be brought to India by Indians, tourists of Indian origin, foreign tourists and crew members. The new regulation replaces a decade-old legislation.
India will now allow goods worth up to Rs 75,000 to be brought into the country without paying any customs duty. Under the new Baggage Rules, 2026, notified on Sunday, Indian residents and tourists of Indian origin who arrive in India by air or sea can bring such goods of this value, on the condition that they are for personal use and carried in the luggage. The previous limit for passengers bringing duty-free imported goods into India was Rs 50,000. The hike was enforced keeping in mind rising overseas travel and consumption, and the need to align baggage rules with current trends. “A passenger, including an infant arriving in India, shall be allowed clearance of used personal effects required for satisfying daily necessities of life and travel souvenirs, carried on the person or in his bona fide baggage, free of duty,” the official notice read. The new baggage rules come into effect from 2 February midnight. The new rules replace the Baggage Rule that had been in place since 2016.
India baggage rules for foreign tourists
The rules for foreign travellers also stand changed, as those arriving in India shall now be allowed duty-free clearance for articles up to a value of Rs 25,000, an increase of Rs 10,000. A separate limit has been set for jewellery. A resident or tourist of Indian origin residing abroad for more than one year shall be allowed duty-free clearance of jewellery up to 40 grams, if brought by a female passenger. The limit will be 20 grams for anyone other than a female passenger in “bona fide” baggage. Jewellery also has a clear definition - "articles of adornment ordinarily worn by a person, made of gold, silver, platinum or such other precious metals, whether studded or not."
The rules extend to crew members finishing their employment on international routes. They can bring their luggage home duty-free during their final pay-off. They are also allowed to bring back small gifts for personal or family use (like snacks or cosmetics), as long as the total value is under Rs 2,500.
