How Do I Export from India to Sweden?

India-Sweden Trade Snapshot

Sweden is a high-income Nordic economy with a population of 10.5 million and GDP per capita among the highest in the EU. Indian exports to Sweden reached approximately USD 1.5 billion in FY 2024-25. While smaller than India's trade with Germany or France, Sweden punches above its weight as a gateway to the broader Nordic and Scandinavian markets (Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland) with a combined population of 27 million.

India and Sweden share a long-standing trade relationship, with over 200 Swedish companies operating in India (including IKEA, Volvo, Ericsson, H&M, and Atlas Copco). Sweden is a member of the EU but uses the Swedish Krona (SEK) as its currency, not the Euro. An important consideration for invoicing and payment.

What Does India Export to Sweden?

India's export basket to Sweden is diversified across industrial and consumer goods. Swedish industry has strong demand for intermediate inputs, while the consumer market values quality textiles and sustainable products.

Duties, GSP Suspension & the India-EU FTA

Sweden, as an EU member state, applies the EU's Common External Tariff (CET) to all imports from non-EU countries. Duty rates are set by the European Commission and are uniform across all 27 member states. Swedish customs (Tullverket) administers these at the border.

What Happened to India's GSP Benefits?

India benefited from the EU's Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP), which provided reduced tariff rates on many product categories. However, the EU suspended India's GSP benefits effective January 2026, raising tariffs on most Indian exports to full MFN rates. This suspension coincides with the conclusion of the India-EU FTA negotiations and is intended to be temporary.

What Does the India-EU FTA Mean for Exporters?

The India-EU Free Trade Agreement was concluded in January 2026 after over a decade of negotiations. Once ratified (expected early 2027), it will eliminate tariffs on 99.5% of tariff lines over a 7-year phase-down period. Key provisions:

• Immediate zero duty on approximately 80% of tariff lines upon entry into force.
• Phased reduction over 3, 5, and 7 years for sensitive products (textiles, agriculture, automobiles).
• Rules of origin will require substantial transformation in India to qualify for preferential rates.
• Mutual recognition of conformity assessment for select product categories.

What Are the Current EU MFN Duty Rates?

EU & Swedish Compliance Rules

Sweden applies the full EU regulatory framework, plus additional Swedish-specific requirements administered by agencies like Tullverket (customs), Livsmedelsverket (food safety), and Kemikalieinspektionen (chemicals). Non-compliant goods will be refused at the border or recalled from the Swedish market.

4.1 CE Marking

CE marking is mandatory for a wide range of products sold in the EU, including Sweden. It signifies that the product conforms to the applicable EU health, safety, and environmental protection standards.

CE Marking Requirements

• Identify applicable directives. Low Voltage Directive (LVD), Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), Machinery Directive, Radio Equipment Directive (RED), Medical Devices Regulation (MDR), Toy Safety Directive, etc.
• Conformity assessment. Depending on the directive, this may be self-certification (Module A) or require a Notified Body (Modules B-H). Higher-risk products always need a Notified Body.
• Technical documentation. Maintain a Technical File with test reports, risk assessments, design specifications, and manufacturing details. This must be available to authorities for 10 years.
• Declaration of Conformity (DoC). A formal document signed by the manufacturer or EU Authorised Representative declaring compliance.
• EU Authorised Representative. Non-EU manufacturers must appoint an Authorised Representative established in the EU since July 2021 (required by the Market Surveillance Regulation 2019/1020).

4.2 REACH Regulation

REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) applies to all chemicals and products containing chemicals imported into the EU. If your product contains chemical substances above 1 tonne per year, those substances must be registered with ECHA (European Chemicals Agency).

• Only Representatives (OR). Non-EU manufacturers must appoint an OR to handle REACH registration on their behalf.
• SVHC (Substances of Very High Concern). If your product contains any SVHC above 0.1% w/w, you must inform the buyer and, upon request, the consumer.
• SCIP database. Articles containing SVHCs must be notified to ECHA's SCIP database.
• Restricted substances. Annex XVII lists substances banned or restricted in the EU (e.g., certain azo dyes in textiles, lead in consumer products, cadmium in jewelry).

4.3 Kemikalieinspektionen (KemI). Swedish Chemicals Agency

Beyond EU-wide REACH requirements, Sweden's national chemicals agency Kemikalieinspektionen (KemI) enforces additional restrictions on chemicals in consumer products. KemI is known for being among the strictest regulators in the EU and actively tests imported products for compliance. Exporters of textiles, toys, electronics, and leather goods should pay special attention to KemI's enforcement priorities.

4.4 Labeling Requirements

Unlike France, Sweden does not have a strict national-language labeling law for most consumer products. Swedish and English are both generally accepted on product labels and user manuals. However, specific rules apply:

• Food products. Must have Swedish labeling. Livsmedelsverket (Swedish Food Agency) requires full ingredient lists, allergen declarations, nutritional information, and best-before dates in Swedish. The EU Food Information Regulation (FIC 1169/2011) format applies.
• General consumer products. Swedish and English are both accepted. Bilingual labels are common and recommended for the Nordic market (Swedish + English covers most consumers in the region).
• Cosmetics. Must list ingredients (INCI nomenclature). Safety precautions should be in Swedish for products sold directly to consumers.
• Chemicals & hazardous products. Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and hazard labels must be in Swedish under CLP Regulation requirements.

4.5 Sustainability & ESG Requirements

Sweden leads the EU in sustainability expectations. While not all requirements are legally mandated, Swedish buyers (especially large retailers and industrial purchasers) routinely demand:

• Supply chain transparency. Full traceability from raw material to finished product.
• Carbon footprint data. Embedded emissions per unit of product, especially for industrial goods.
• Social compliance audits. SA8000, BSCI, or Sedex audits for labour practices in manufacturing facilities.
• Environmental certifications. GOTS (textiles), FSC (wood/paper), EU Ecolabel, or Nordic Swan Ecolabel (Svanen) are preferred by Swedish buyers.

4.6 EUDR (EU Deforestation Regulation)

The EU Deforestation Regulation applies to imports of cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soy, and wood. As well as derived products (leather, chocolate, furniture, tyres, printed paper). Indian exporters of leather, coffee, and rubber products must:

• Provide geolocation data of the land where the commodity was produced.
• Demonstrate the commodity was not produced on land deforested after December 31, 2020.
• Submit a due diligence statement to the EU information system before placing goods on the market.

4.7 PPWR (Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation)

The EU's new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) takes effect from August 2026. It imposes mandatory recycled content targets, recyclability requirements, and restrictions on certain packaging formats. Sweden, already a leader in recycling, will enforce these requirements rigorously. Indian exporters must ensure their packaging meets these requirements or face rejection at the border.

CBAM: Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) has been in full effect since January 2026. It applies a carbon price to imports of carbon-intensive goods, equivalent to the price EU producers pay under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). This is particularly relevant for Indian iron & steel and aluminium exports to Sweden.

Which Products Are Covered?

• Iron and steel. Including flat-rolled products, tubes, pipes, stainless steel, and ferro-alloys.
• Aluminium. Unwrought aluminium, aluminium bars, rods, and profiles.
• Cement. Portland cement, aluminous cement, clinker.
• Fertilisers. Urea, ammonium nitrate, NPK fertilisers.
• Hydrogen. From January 2026.

What Must Indian Exporters Do?

• Calculate embedded emissions. Measure both direct (Scope 1) and indirect (Scope 2) emissions per tonne of product.
• Report to your EU importer. The EU importer is the "authorised CBAM declarant" and must purchase CBAM certificates based on your reported emissions.
• Provide verified data. From 2027, emissions data must be verified by an accredited verifier. Default values (which are higher) apply if actual data is not provided.
• Deduct any carbon price paid in India. If you have paid a carbon tax or equivalent in India, this can be deducted from the CBAM obligation. India does not currently have a carbon pricing mechanism, so no deduction is available.

Shipping & Logistics

Sweden is well-connected to Indian shipping routes, though transit times are longer than to Mediterranean or Western European ports. Gothenburg is the largest port in the Nordic region and handles the majority of containerised cargo for Sweden and neighbouring countries.

Major Shipping Routes

Shipping Methods Compared

Which [Incoterms](/resources/incoterms) Should I Use?

For Sweden, the most common Incoterms are:

• FOB (Free on Board). Seller delivers goods to the Indian port. Most common for B2B trade where the Swedish buyer arranges ocean freight.
• CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight). Seller covers freight and insurance to the Swedish port. Note: CIF value is the basis for EU customs valuation and duty calculation.
• DAP (Delivered at Place). Seller delivers to the buyer's warehouse in Sweden; buyer handles import clearance and duties. Increasingly common for e-commerce.
• DDP (Delivered Duty Paid). Seller handles everything including Swedish import duties and VAT (25% standard rate). Requires the seller to register for Swedish VAT with Skatteverket.

Payment & EDPMS Compliance

Getting paid from Sweden follows standard international trade payment methods. However, note that Sweden uses the Swedish Krona (SEK), not the Euro. Indian exporters must also comply with RBI's FEMA regulations and EDPMS (Export Data Processing and Monitoring System) reporting requirements.

EDPMS & FEMA Compliance

Every export from India creates an EDPMS entry that must be closed by matching the shipping bill with the corresponding bank realisation (BRC). Key deadlines and requirements:

• 9-month repatriation deadline. All export proceeds must be received and credited to your Indian bank account within 9 months of the shipping bill date.
• EDPMS matching. Your AD bank matches inward remittances against outstanding shipping bills in EDPMS. Unmatched entries attract RBI scrutiny.
• Write-off limits. If a buyer defaults, you can write off up to 5% of total export proceeds for the year (AD bank approval) or up to 10% (RBI approval required).
• Currency conversion. Ensure your AD Code bank account accepts the currency you invoice in. Swedish buyers often pay in EUR or USD for international trade, which simplifies bank processing.

Export Incentives

Indian exporters shipping to Sweden can claim the same government incentives available for all export destinations. These can significantly offset the tariff increase from the GSP suspension.

RoDTEP (Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products)

Refunds embedded taxes not covered by other mechanisms (state levies on fuel, electricity duty, mandi tax). Rates range from 0.5-4.3% of FOB value depending on the HS code. Credits are issued as transferable scrips via ICEGATE. Calculate your RoDTEP benefit.

[Duty Drawback](/resources/duty-drawback)

Refund of customs duties paid on imported inputs used in export production. Claimed at All Industry Rates (AIR) or Brand Rates. Can be claimed simultaneously with RoDTEP. Particularly valuable for manufacturers importing raw materials for re-export as finished goods.

Interest Equalisation Scheme

Interest subvention of 2% for manufacturer exporters and 3-5% for MSME manufacturer exporters on pre-shipment and post-shipment rupee export credit. Applied directly by your bank, reducing effective borrowing cost. Available for 410 tariff lines at the 4-digit level.

Advance Authorisation & EPCG

Advance Authorisation permits duty-free import of raw materials for export production. EPCG allows duty-free import of capital goods with a 6x export obligation over 6 years. Both schemes are administered by DGFT and can be combined with RoDTEP and Duty Drawback.

Frequently Asked Questions

What duties does Sweden charge on Indian imports after the EU GSP suspension?

Since India's EU GSP was suspended in January 2026, Swedish customs (Tullverket) applies the EU's MFN tariff rates. These vary by product: textiles 8-12%, organic chemicals 3-6.5%, pharmaceuticals 0-6.5%, iron and steel 0-7%. Once the India-EU FTA is ratified (expected early 2027), tariffs will phase down to zero on 99.5% of tariff lines over 7 years. Use our HS code lookup tool to find the exact duty rate for your product.

Does Sweden require Swedish-language labeling on all products?

No, unlike France, Sweden does not mandate Swedish-language labels for most consumer products. Swedish and English are both generally accepted. However, food products are an exception. Livsmedelsverket (Swedish Food Agency) requires ingredients, allergens, and nutritional information to be in Swedish. Chemicals and hazardous products must also have Swedish-language Safety Data Sheets and hazard labels.

How long does shipping from India to Sweden take?

Sea freight from JNPT or Mundra to Gothenburg (Sweden's largest port and the biggest in the Nordic region) takes 22-28 days. To Stockholm Norvik port, add 2-3 days. Air freight from Delhi or Mumbai to Stockholm Arlanda takes 2-4 days. Express courier (DHL, FedEx) delivers in 4-7 business days. EU customs clearance typically adds 1-3 business days.

Sources & Resources

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Update history

• 2026-08-11 First published.