How to import safety matches from India: a step-by-step guide
Six steps from specification to your port, and which of them can run at the same time.
India is one of the world's largest sources of safety matches, and most of what it exports is made in a small belt of southern Tamil Nadu. Importing from there is straightforward once you know the order of the steps. Most first-time importers lose time not on the factory floor, but on paperwork, artwork and shipping arrangements that could have run in parallel.
Fix your specification first (match type, box size, stick count, packing). Approve a physical sample and your artwork. Agree price, Incoterm and payment terms. Book the shipment as dangerous goods (UN 1944, Class 4.1). Then check the first container against your approved sample before you scale.
1. Agree the specification
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2. Approve samples and artwork
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3. Production, packing and inspection
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4. Shipping and import clearance
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