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India’s Baggage Rules 2026 raise duty-free limits to Rs 75,000, introduce weight-based jewellery allowances, allow one laptop duty-free, and simplify customs for arrivals.
Items that exceed the Rs 75,000 limit will attract customs duty (typically around 10% + social welfare surcharge on the duty), which is significantly lower than earlier effective rates.
India has updated its customs and baggage rules affecting what international passengers, including people arriving from the UAE, can bring into the country without paying duty. These changes are part of the Baggage Rules, 2026, and the Customs Baggage (Declaration & Processing) Regulations, 2026, which came into effect from February 2, 2026, following announcements in the Union Budget 2026.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of what’s changed and what it means:
1. Higher Duty-Free Allowance for Personal Items
Passengers arriving by air or sea can now bring goods worth up to Rs 75,000 duty-free, higher than the Rs 50,000 limit earlier.
This limit applies to Indian residents, people of Indian origin (PIO/OCI), NRIs, and foreign nationals with valid visas. It covers personal effects and items carried in bona fide accompanied baggage — personal use items, not for commercial sale.
Foreign tourists have a separate duty-free cap of Rs 25,000 (up from Rs 15,000 earlier).
For crew members, the limit is Rs 2,500.
2. Simplified Jewellery Rules
The old value-based limits on jewellery imports have been replaced with weight-based allowances for returning residents/PIOs:
• Women: up to 40 grams of jewellery duty-free
• Men/Others: up to 20 grams duty-free
This applies to passengers who have stayed abroad for at least a year and are bringing jewellery in bona fide baggage.
Earlier, jewellery allowances were defined by value rather than weight, which often caused confusion and disputes at customs.
3. Laptop and Electronics Allowances
• One laptop can be brought in duty-free, separate from the Rs 75,000 general limit, for travellers aged over 18 years (excluding airline crew).
• Other electronics (smartphones, watches, cameras, etc.) are counted within the Rs 75,000 allowance.
This dual-bucket system (laptop + Rs 75,000 limit) is particularly beneficial for travellers bringing gadgets from the UAE, where prices are often lower.
4. Simplified Customs Process
The new regulations also introduce:
• Advance and electronic baggage declaration to streamline arrival processing.
• Unified digital declaration linked to immigration systems, reducing paperwork.
• Clearer rules around temporary imports / re-imports and Transfer of Residence (ToR) benefits for long-term expatriates.
5. What Still Requires Duty or Has Restrictions
Even under the new rules, certain items remain outside duty-free allowances and must be declared:
• Alcohol beyond allowed limits
• Tobacco products above the limits
• Cars, TVs, and other large goods
• Gold bars/coins or precious metals in non-jewellery form
• Commercial quantities of any item
Items that exceed the Rs 75,000 limit will attract customs duty (typically around 10% + social welfare surcharge on the duty), which is significantly lower than earlier effective rates.
Example (From UAE To India)
If an NRI returning from Dubai brings:
• One laptop: duty-free separate allowance
• A phone (Rs 50,000), watch (Rs 15,000) & clothes: these total Rs 65,000 — all duty-free within the Rs 75,000 limit
• Gold jewellery (30 g): duty-free under the new weight limits
The above would be cleared without duty. Only items or values above these thresholds may attract charges. However, for updated and item-specific rules, check customs rules from official government website.
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February 08, 2026, 16:01 IST
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