Quick answer
Can an Indian manufacturer sell into Saudi Arabia without a Saudi company?
Yes. The importer named on a Saudi customs declaration must hold a Saudi CR, 700 code, Saudi ID or GCC ID, but it does not have to be the owner or buyer of the goods, so Safe Hands can act as that Importer of Record. Indian-origin goods pay the standard duty on their 12-digit tariff line (no GCC-India FTA is in force yet) plus 15% import VAT, and regulated products need SABER certificates before clearance.
Our credentials
- Licensed customs broker
- ZATCA customs clearance
- TGA Freight Forwarder & Broker Licence
- 42/00008120
- ISO certification
- ISO 9001:2015 AMER300621 · ISO 45001:2018 AMER300622
- Verify · Certification body's certificate check
- Head office · Warehouse
- 7273 Fatimah Al Zahraa Rd, Riyadh 12837 · Al Sulay industrial district, Riyadh
Safe Hands Shipping Line is the trade name of شركة الايدي الامينة (Al Aidi Al Amina Company). All credentials →
Built for Indian Exporters
From engineering goods to building materials
Why Indian Exporters Choose Safe Hands
Direct Indian Origin Coverage
Sea freight from Nhava Sheva (JNPT), Mundra and Chennai, and air freight from Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru. DDP delivery to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam or your project site.
Right Saudi Port per Shipment
Jeddah can be cheaper on freight alone, but the inland leg to Riyadh or the east can erase the saving. We compare total landed cost to Dammam and Jeddah before booking.
SABER Handled Before Shipping
We confirm the product certificate route with a SASO-approved certification body before the goods leave India, so the shipment certificate is ready when the container lands.
Our IOR Process
Seamless transition from your plant in India to your buyer in Saudi Arabia.
Document Validation
Commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin
Compliance Check
HS code verification, SABER PCoC/SCoC, restricted items review
FASAH Pre-clearance
Filing ZATCA declaration before vessel/flight arrival
Customs Clearance
Duty & VAT payment, physical inspection facilitation if flagged
Final Delivery
To your buyer's warehouse, a Riyadh store or a project site
India to Saudi Arabia: the facts that set your landed cost
| Topic | What applies | Source | Verified on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customs duty basis | Duty is set per 12-digit line of the ZATCA Integrated Tariff (12 digits in all GCC states since 1 Jan 2025). The GCC common external tariff's general rate is 5% of CIF value, but Saudi Arabia applies many line-level deviations, so the live 12-digit line governs. | ZATCA Integrated Tariff; GCC Common External Tariff | 1 and 5 Oct 2026 |
| Customs value | CIF to the Saudi port: the transaction value plus freight, loading, handling and insurance to the place of import, whatever Incoterm the sales contract uses. | Customs Law Art 26; Implementing Regulations Art 1 | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Import VAT | 15% of the customs value plus customs duty, excise and any other charges on the declaration (excluding VAT). Paid at clearance with the duty; a 0% duty line still pays import VAT unless the goods fall in a VAT-exempt category. | VAT Law Art 2; GCC VAT Agreement Art 28(1); ZATCA Imports/Exports Guideline s.4.3-4.4 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| FTA / treaty effect on duty | No GCC-India FTA is in force (negotiations launched February 2026), so Indian-origin goods pay the MFN rate on the 12-digit line. | Government of India statement on GCC-India FTA talks; GAFT list of agreements in force | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Anti-dumping and safeguard duties | GCC anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard duties are imposed GCC-wide, are product- and often producer-specific, and add to the normal tariff (typical subjects: tiles, batteries, aluminium, electricals, sanitary ware, steel). | GCC Common Law on Anti-Dumping, Countervailing Measures and Safeguards | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Who can be the importer | The importer on the declaration must hold a CR number, 700 code, Saudi ID or GCC ID and be licensed to import. The importer need not be the buyer or owner of the goods. | ZATCA VAT Imports/Exports Guideline s.4.2; GCC Common Customs Law Arts 2(29), 110 | 1 and 4 Oct 2026 |
| Certificate of origin | Required with the Saudi declaration when preferential treatment is claimed or when origin marking cannot be fixed on the goods. It can follow after clearance against a guarantee or written undertaking, due within 90 days. | ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls Art 3 | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Indian export side | The Indian exporter needs a live Importer-Exporter Code (IEC), updated online every April to June or it is de-activated. Export is declared by shipping bill on ICEGATE by the exporter or its licensed customs broker. | India Foreign Trade Policy 2023 paras 2.05-2.08; Customs Act 1962 | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Documents | Saudi side: detailed commercial invoice, bill of lading or air waybill, certificate of origin where required, agency certificates and packing list. From India the buyer should also receive a copy of the shipping bill as proof of export. | ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls; India FTP 2023 para 2.06 | 1 and 5 Oct 2026 |
| SABER / SFDA path | Regulated non-food goods need a SABER product certificate (PCoC) per model and a shipment certificate (SCoC) per shipment, held on the Saudi importer's SABER account. Food runs through SFDA (GHAD registration and release), not SABER. The tariff line's Required Procedures column states which approval applies. | SASO SABER (saber.sa); SFDA food clearance conditions; ZATCA Integrated Tariff | 30 Sep and 1 Oct 2026 |
Step by step: India to a Saudi buyer
| Step | What happens | Who | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indian exporter confirms its IEC is active for this year and files the shipping bill on ICEGATE. | Indian exporter or its customs broker | India FTP 2023 |
| 2 | Classify the goods to the 12-digit Saudi tariff line and read its duty, restriction type and required procedures. | Importer with Safe Hands | ZATCA Integrated Tariff |
| 3 | Obtain the approvals the line lists (for example SABER PCoC, or SFDA) before loading. | Importer (approval holder) | SABER; SFDA GHAD |
| 4 | Confirm the importer's FASAH account and customs card are active and Safe Hands is authorised as the licensed customs broker. | Importer | ZATCA FASAH |
| 5 | Collect the commercial invoice, bill of lading or air waybill, certificate of origin where required, agency certificates and packing list. | Importer and supplier | ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls |
| 6 | Carrier lodges the manifest before arrival; Safe Hands files the incoming declaration with the 12-digit code, origin, value, Incoterm, freight and insurance. | Carrier; Safe Hands | ZATCA FASAH |
| 7 | Duty, 15% import VAT and the customs service fee are calculated on the declaration and paid. | Importer (funds); Safe Hands (submits) | ZATCA FASAH; SADAD |
| 8 | Risk selection (release, document check or examination), then delivery order, terminal charges and gate-out. | ZATCA and agencies; importer or forwarder | ZATCA FASAH |
What India sells to Saudi Arabia (2025)
| Topic | What applies | Source | Verified on |
|---|---|---|---|
| All goods | USD 12.2 billion of Saudi imports from India in 2025. | UN Comtrade (Saudi-reported) | 10 Oct 2026 |
| Vehicles | USD 1,862 million in 2025; vehicles go through SABER under the vehicle regulations for their HS code. | UN Comtrade (Saudi-reported) | 10 Oct 2026 |
| Machinery: the SABER route | Machinery from India: USD 1,232 million in 2025. Machinery needs a certificate of conformity from a SASO-accepted body under the Type 1a model, with the supplier's declaration and a risk assessment in the technical file. CE marking is not a SABER certificate; existing test reports and the technical file may reduce testing. | SASO Technical Regulation for General Requirements for Machinery Safety (Official Gazette 29 Mar 2024) | 10 Oct 2026 |
| Electrical equipment | USD 720 million in 2025, including cables USD 52 million, transformers and inverters USD 60 million and switchgear USD 42 million. Radio and telecom devices also need the SASO ICT certificate in SABER. | UN Comtrade (Saudi-reported) | 10 Oct 2026 |
| Steel articles and plastics | Articles of iron or steel USD 541 million and plastics USD 273 million (2025). | UN Comtrade (Saudi-reported) | 10 Oct 2026 |
SABER for your shipment
SABER is SASO's platform where product and shipment certificates are registered. What it means for goods you ship to us as your Importer of Record:
Who issues the SABER certificate?
For a regulated product, a conformity body accepted by SASO issues the Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC), which is then registered on SABER. Certificates from bodies outside the Kingdom count only if the body is on SASO's accepted list. As your Importer of Record, we register the product and its certificates on SABER.
What does each shipment need?
A shipment certificate (SCoC) for every shipment: issued on SABER in 1–2 working days, valid for 90 days, SAR 350 excluding VAT. The PCoC costs SAR 500 excluding VAT on SABER and is valid for one year; the conformity body's own fees are quoted per HS code.
My product has no technical regulation. Does it still go through SABER?
Yes. A non-regulated product still needs product registration on SABER, an importer self-declaration and a shipment certificate for each shipment.
How do I know which approval my product needs?
From its 12-digit tariff line: the Required Procedures of that line in the ZATCA Integrated Tariff state whether it needs a SABER certificate, an SFDA release or another approval. Send us the HS code or a product description and we check it.
Sources: saber.sa (FAQs, services, non-regulated products, shipment certificate); SASO service catalogue; ZATCA Integrated Tariff. Checked 10 October 2026.
Where will your stock sit?
When your goods land, they either clear into the Saudi market straight away or wait under customs control. That choice decides when customs duty and import VAT are paid.
Duty-paid stock in Riyadh
We clear the goods on arrival. Customs duty (the rate of the 12-digit tariff line on the customs value), the 0.15% customs service fee and 15% import VAT are paid on the customs declaration. The stock is then free to sell and ships from our Riyadh warehouse.
Bonded storage
We arrange bonded storage through free-zone and bonded-port facilities. Import VAT is suspended together with customs duty while goods stay in a customs warehouse and falls due when they are released into the Saudi market; ZATCA may ask for a guarantee for that amount. Our licensed customs team clears each release.
How bonded storage worksSources: ZATCA Guideline on Imports and Exports under VAT (Second Edition, May 2026), sections 4.1–4.4 and 5.2; ZATCA customs service fee (from 6 October 2024). Checked 11 October 2026.
Store with us
Keep your stock in the Kingdom with the same team that imports and clears it.
- Storage in Riyadh: duty-paid in our warehouse, or bonded through free-zone and bonded-port facilities
- Pick, pack and order preparation
- B2B distribution across the Kingdom
- One partner from customs clearance to delivery
Frequently Asked Questions
QWhat is an Importer of Record in Saudi Arabia?
An Importer of Record (IOR) is a legally registered Saudi entity that handles customs declarations, duty payments, VAT, and regulatory approvals on behalf of foreign companies that do not have a local Saudi entity.
QCan an Indian company export to Saudi Arabia without a Saudi company?
Yes. Safe Hands acts as the Saudi Importer of Record, so your Saudi buyer receives cleared goods without you opening a local company or obtaining a Saudi Commercial Registration.
QWhat is SABER and do I need it?
SABER is Saudi Arabia's mandatory product conformity platform. Most imported goods require a Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC) and Shipment Certificate of Conformity (SCoC) before customs clearance. As your IOR, we manage this process.
QWhat do I file on the Indian side before exporting to Saudi Arabia?
You need an Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) from DGFT, and your customs broker files the shipping bill electronically on ICEGATE. On the Saudi side we handle SABER, the FASAH declaration, duties and VAT as Importer of Record.
QWhich certificate of origin and test reports work for Saudi Arabia?
A certificate of origin issued by an authorised Indian body, such as a chamber of commerce or the Export Inspection Council. For SABER, existing test reports from accredited laboratories can often support the product certificate through a SASO-approved certification body; we confirm this per product before shipping.
QWhich Saudi port is best for shipments from India?
Dammam serves Riyadh and the Eastern Province; Jeddah serves the western region. From Nhava Sheva, Jeddah can be cheaper on freight alone, but the inland leg of about 1,300 km to the east can outweigh the saving, so we compare total landed cost per shipment.
QHow is the Importer of Record fee charged?
Either as a percentage of the CIF value or as a flat fee per shipment, depending on the shipment value. Duties and 15% VAT are paid at clearance and invoiced back with the fee, usually on DDP terms.
QHow long does customs clearance take in Saudi Arabia?
Clearance time depends on the channel ZATCA assigns and on how complete your documents are. We file ahead through FASAH so the declaration is ready when the shipment lands, which is the part we control.
QIs there a free trade agreement that lowers Saudi duty on Indian goods?
Not yet. GCC-India FTA negotiations were launched in February 2026 and no agreement is in force, so Indian-origin goods pay the standard (MFN) rate on their 12-digit Saudi tariff line. Source: Government of India statement on the GCC-India FTA; GAFT list of agreements in force (verified 5 Oct 2026).
QWhy does my IEC status matter for a shipment to Saudi Arabia?
No goods may be exported from India without an Importer-Exporter Code unless specifically exempted. The IEC must be updated online every April to June, even if nothing changed, or DGFT de-activates it, which can hold an export shipment. Source: India Foreign Trade Policy 2023, para 2.05 (verified 5 Oct 2026).
QWhich documents should my Saudi buyer receive from India?
The commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, a copy of the shipping bill as proof of export, the certificate of origin, and any SABER or SFDA documents for the product. Source: India FTP 2023 para 2.06; ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls (verified 1 and 5 Oct 2026).
QDo dual-use or restricted items need an Indian export authorisation?
Yes. Items on India's SCOMET list need a DGFT SCOMET authorisation, and items marked Restricted in ITC(HS) Schedule 2 need an export authorisation, which the Indian exporter obtains before shipping. Source: India FTP 2023 paras 2.05-2.08 (verified 5 Oct 2026).
QHow is the 15% import VAT calculated?
Import VAT is 15% of the customs value (CIF to the Saudi port) plus customs duty, excise and any other charges on the declaration. It is paid at clearance together with the duty. Source: VAT Law Art 2; GCC VAT Agreement Art 28(1) as quoted in ZATCA's Imports Guideline (verified 4 Oct 2026).
QCan anti-dumping duty apply to goods from India?
It can. GCC anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard duties are product- and often producer-specific and are added to the normal tariff; tiles, batteries, aluminium, electricals, sanitary ware and steel are typical subjects. The latest GCC bulletin for the product and the named producer should be read before quoting. Source: GCC Common Law on Anti-Dumping (verified 5 Oct 2026).
QCan I get a binding tariff classification before shipping?
Yes. ZATCA issues advance customs rulings to economic operators on tariff classification, preferential origin and valuation method, free of charge, with a 60-day service level. Source: ZATCA eServices-299 (verified 5 Oct 2026).
QWhose name has to appear on certain products from 1 October 2026?
For ten SASO technical regulations (including trailers, tanks, simple pressure vessels, small solar PV systems and electrical lifts), the Saudi importer's or local manufacturer's name and CR number must appear on the product from 1 October 2026. Under an Importer of Record model that is the IOR's name and CR. Source: SABER circular on supplier name and CR (verified 30 Sep 2026).
Sources
- ZATCA Integrated Tariff — 12-digit duty lines and required procedures (verified 1 Oct 2026)
- Saudi Customs Law Art 26 and Implementing Regulations — CIF customs value (verified 5 Oct 2026)
- VAT Law Art 2 and ZATCA Imports/Exports Guideline — 15% import VAT, VAT base, importer requirements (verified 4 Oct 2026)
- ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls Art 3 — certificate of origin and late documents (verified 5 Oct 2026)
- India Foreign Trade Policy 2023 (DGFT) — IEC, export documents, SCOMET (verified 5 Oct 2026)
- GAFT list of trade agreements; GCC-India FTA statements — FTA status (verified 5 Oct 2026)
- SASO SABER (saber.sa) — PCoC, SCoC, importer account, supplier-name circular (verified 30 Sep 2026)
- GCC Technical Secretariat for Anti-Injurious Practices — anti-dumping and safeguard measures (verified 5 Oct 2026)
Duty is set per 12-digit tariff line and rules change; we confirm the live line for your product before quoting.
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