Freight Forwarding from Vietnam to India
Haiphong and Ho Chi Minh City sailings to Indian seaports and inland depots, with export documentation, ocean freight and customs clearance managed by one team.
Selling into Vietnam instead? See our India to Vietnam export guide →
Trade Lane Overview
Vietnam → India at a Glance
Vietnam ships to India through two main gateways: Haiphong in the north, serving the Hanoi manufacturing belt, and the Ho Chi Minh City / Cat Lai terminal cluster in the south, serving the Mekong Delta and southern industrial zones.
A decade of manufacturing relocation out of China has made Vietnam one of the fastest-growing sourcing origins for India-bound importers — textiles and garments, footwear, furniture, and an increasing share of electronics assembly and components now move through these two ports.
Apextar runs Haiphong as a scheduled lane rather than a one-off booking, with regular sailings to both JNPT (Nhava Sheva) for west and north India and rail-linked delivery to ICD Sonipat in Haryana for importers closer to the National Capital Region.
Region
Southeast Asia
Transit
12–18 days
Distance
3,527 km
Primary Gateway
JNPT (Nhava Sheva)
Typical Cargo
Textiles and garments, footwear, furniture and electronics components
Named Lanes
Key Vietnam Routes We Run
Haiphong to ICD Sonipat
Containers discharge at Nhava Sheva and move under bond by rail into Haryana, clearing customs at Sonipat itself — useful for importers closer to the National Capital Region than to the west coast.
Transit
20–26 days
Distance
3,115 km
Destination
Haryana
Haiphong to JNPT (Nhava Sheva)
A direct port-to-port sailing to India's largest container gateway, with onward delivery anywhere in west or north India.
Transit
14–19 days
Distance
3,527 km
Destination
Maharashtra
Why This Lane
Why Ship Vietnam → India With Apextar
Regular Haiphong sailings to both Nhava Sheva and ICD Sonipat, run as a scheduled service.
FCL and consolidated LCL both available for Vietnam-origin cargo.
ASEAN-India FTA preferential duty applied wherever your product qualifies.
One Apextar team handles Vietnamese export clearance, ocean freight and Indian customs.
Paperwork
Documents You'll Need
What we collect and file for a Vietnam → India shipment.
Commercial Invoice & Packing List
Itemised value, HS codes and package weights/measures for Vietnamese export declaration and Indian assessment.
Bill of Lading
Issued once the container loads at Haiphong or Ho Chi Minh City — original or telex release.
Certificate of Origin (Form AI / ASEAN-India FTA)
Supports preferential duty treatment where the goods meet the trade agreement's origin criteria.
Importer's IEC & GST Registration
Required before Apextar's brokerage team can file the Bill of Entry.
Bill of Entry
Filed at the Indian gateway to assess duty and secure release — including the rail-bond paperwork when the cargo is moving on to ICD Sonipat.
Customs & Compliance
Clearing Cargo in India
Apextar's in-house customs house agents file the Bill of Entry and manage duty assessment at the Indian gateway, and where the consignment continues to ICD Sonipat under bond, our documentation team tracks the bond through to closure at the inland depot.
Timing It Right
Seasonal Considerations
Vietnam observes Tết (Lunar New Year, same period as Chinese New Year) with a similar factory shutdown and tightened sailing space, so cargo booked around late January to mid-February needs extra lead time. Typhoon season on Vietnam's coast (roughly June to November) can occasionally disrupt Haiphong port operations, and the Indian west coast sees its own June–September monsoon — both are worth a buffer if timing is tight.
Good to Know
Vietnam to India — FAQs
How long does shipping from Vietnam to India take?
Around 12–18 days from Haiphong to Nhava Sheva on typical schedules; ICD Sonipat adds a few more days for the rail leg from the gateway port.
Do you ship from Haiphong to ICD Sonipat specifically?
Yes — this is one of our regularly booked lanes. Containers discharge at Nhava Sheva and move under customs bond by rail to ICD Sonipat, where we clear and hand over the cargo.
Can I ship LCL from Vietnam?
Yes, we consolidate LCL cargo from both Haiphong and Ho Chi Minh City on a regular schedule.
Does the ASEAN-India FTA apply to Vietnamese goods?
Where your product meets the origin rules, yes — we file the Certificate of Origin to claim the preferential rate on filing.
Who clears customs when my cargo reaches India?
Apextar's in-house brokerage team handles the Bill of Entry, duty coordination and release, whether the cargo stays at the seaport or continues inland to Sonipat.
How do I book a Vietnam shipment?
Send the commodity, volume or container count and readiness date through our quote form and we'll respond with current rates and sailing options.
Keep Exploring
Other Trade Lanes We Run
Ready to Ship Vietnam → India?
Share your cargo details and our team will come back with current rates and routing options.