For US brands in September 2026, India is the lower-tariff lane: Indian goods pay the MFN rate plus a 10% Section 301 duty, while Chinese goods pay MFN plus 12.5% on top of the older Section 301 lists. SourceSquid finds and inspects factories in both countries, so you can compare each lane on landed cost, not on factory price.
As of 28 September 2026. Checked against official sources.
The Supreme Court struck down the IEEPA tariffs on 20 February 2026. A temporary 10% Section 122 surcharge ran from 24 February and lapsed on 24 July 2026.
Since 24 July 2026, Section 301 “forced labor” tariffs apply on top of MFN: 10% for India, 12.5% for China and Vietnam. Goods under Section 232 are exempt from them. They are being challenged in the Court of International Trade and are still collected.
China also keeps the original Section 301 lists (7.5% or 25%) and the 2024 review increases (25% to 100% on EVs, semiconductors, batteries and other sectors).
Still open: Section 301 excess-capacity investigations covering India, China and Vietnam, and an India–US interim trade deal that officials describe as close but not yet signed.
As of 28 September 2026. Every rate depends on the product’s HS code, so treat this as the map and check your own codes before you order.
Section 301 forced-labor tariff at the 10% tier, since 24 July 2026.
Section 232 duties apply by product (steel, aluminium, copper, autos and parts, timber and some wood products); goods covered by Section 232 are exempt from the forced-labor duty.
An India–US interim trade framework was announced in February 2026. On 25–26 September 2026 ministers and US officials described the deal as close, but it was not signed or in effect.
Section 301 forced-labor tariff at 12.5%, since 24 July 2026, in addition to existing China duties.
Original Section 301 lists: 25% (Lists 1 to 3) and 7.5% (List 4A). The 2024 four-year review increases (25% to 100% on EVs, semiconductors, batteries, medical items and other sectors) took full effect on 1 January 2026.
The IEEPA “fentanyl” and reciprocal tariffs ended with the February 2026 Supreme Court ruling. UFLPA import screening continues regardless of tariffs.
Section 301 forced-labor tariff at 12.5%, since 24 July 2026. The earlier IEEPA rates, including the transshipment rate, no longer apply.
A separate Section 301 investigation into intellectual property enforcement in Vietnam opened on 29 May 2026. No action has been announced.
Two main rates: 10% (India and others with forced-labour import bans) and 12.5% (China, Vietnam and others). Challenged at the CIT by 25 states and by businesses; still collected.
Hearings closed in May 2026. No determination or tariff published as of late September 2026.
Described in late September 2026 as nearly complete. Not signed; no tariff change yet.
Not renewed. India was removed in 2019.
Model it for your product: Find the HS code Compare landed cost
The US rules that decide whether a container clears, and whether the product can stay on the shelf.
Children’s products need third-party testing at a CPSC-accepted lab and a Children’s Product Certificate; regulated general-use products need a General Certificate of Conformity. Since 8 July 2026, certificate data is eFiled with the CBP entry for most regulated consumer products.
Products that expose Californians to listed chemicals (lead, phthalates, BPA and hundreds more) need a clear and reasonable warning. Short-form warnings now have to name at least one listed chemical. Test and set limits with the factory rather than relying on a warning.
Anything that emits radio frequency energy, from Bluetooth speakers to LED drivers, needs FCC authorisation (Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity or certification) before it is marketed or imported.
Goods made wholly or partly in Xinjiang, or by listed entities, are presumed barred. Cotton, polysilicon, PVC, aluminium and steel are priority sectors, and 43 companies were added to the Entity List on 31 July 2026. Keep raw-material traceability for every input.
UFLPA guideSection 301 rates follow country of origin, which for manufactured goods is where the last substantial transformation happened, not where the goods shipped from. Assembly-only moves out of China rarely change origin.
Origin dossierImported goods and their retail packaging must be marked with the English name of the country of origin (“Made in India”), legibly and permanently. Textiles and apparel also need fibre content and a care label.
Indicative port-to-port planning ranges, not a carrier schedule. Transhipment, blank sailings and routing change them; confirm with the carrier at booking.
Transpacific, direct services
Via Panama or Suez
Via Suez; 35–45 via the Cape
Usually transhipped at Colombo or Singapore
Transhipped in Asia
Routing in September 2026: carriers were returning Asia–Europe services to the Suez Canal gradually, service by service; sailings via the Cape of Good Hope take roughly 10 to 14 days longer.
Vietnam carries the same 12.5% forced-labor rate as China but none of China’s older 301 lists, which keeps it relevant for footwear, furniture and apparel.
Running both? Plan a China + 1 second source
Our teams in Bengaluru and Ningbo find, audit and inspect factories for US brands buying from India and China, and collect the evidence your market asks for.
Named manufacturers in India and China, checked by calls, matched to US requirements.
Factory price, freight, duty and taxes side by side, so you compare lanes, not quotes.
Find the likely HS code first; every duty rate on this page depends on it.
Factory-side evidence of Indian or Vietnamese origin for your broker, so the lower Section 301 tier holds up.
In-line, pre-shipment and loading inspections by our own team in India and China.
The US rules above turned into a supplier evidence list, collected at the factory.
Checked on 28 September 2026 and refreshed monthly. Official government, customs and EU sources first; commentary is named as such. This page explains the rules in plain English. For a view on your own products, ask our team or your customs broker.
Checked on 28 September 2026. We update this guide when duties or rules move.
[email protected]As of 28 September 2026, Indian goods pay the normal MFN duty plus a 10% Section 301 forced-labor tariff that took effect on 24 July 2026. Section 232 duties apply instead of the 10% on steel, aluminium, copper, autos and timber products. An India–US interim trade deal was described as close in late September 2026 but was not in effect.
MFN duty, plus the 12.5% Section 301 forced-labor tariff since 24 July 2026, plus the original Section 301 lists at 7.5% or 25% and, for EVs, semiconductors, batteries and other sectors, the 2024 review rates of 25% to 100%. The IEEPA fentanyl and reciprocal tariffs ended with the Supreme Court ruling of 20 February 2026.
It ended the tariffs imposed under IEEPA. The administration replaced them with a 10% Section 122 surcharge (24 February to 24 July 2026) and then with Section 301 forced-labor tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on 60 economies. Section 232 and the older China Section 301 duties were not affected.
Often, once tariffs are counted: India’s additional duty is 10% against China’s 12.5% plus the older 301 lists. Factory price, tooling, freight and lead time still decide it product by product, so we compare full landed cost for each lane.
As a planning range, Ningbo or Shanghai to Los Angeles takes about 14 to 20 days port to port, and Nhava Sheva or Mundra to the US East Coast about 25 to 35 days via Suez. Add customs clearance and inland delivery, and confirm the carrier’s current schedule.
Send one drawing, photo or quote. We return the process chain, the right clusters in India and China, and a landed-cost comparison for your market.