—Guide
Importing and Exporting From Telangana: DGFT Hyderabad, Air Cargo and ICDs
Practical points for Telangana importers and exporters: the DGFT's Hyderabad office, air cargo at Hyderabad airport, inland container depots, and key sectors.
Telangana is landlocked, but it's a significant exporter — particularly of pharmaceuticals, IT hardware, engineering goods, and agricultural products like seeds. Importers and exporters here use the same national systems as everywhere else, with a few local points worth knowing. This guide covers them.
The IEC and DGFT
The IEC is applied for online on the DGFT portal, so there's no need to visit an office. The DGFT has a regional office in Hyderabad, which handles matters under the Foreign Trade Policy for the region, such as certain authorisations and schemes.
Air Cargo
Hyderabad's airport has a major air cargo terminal, particularly important for pharmaceutical exports, which often need temperature-controlled handling. Exporters shipping by air register their AD code with customs at the airport.
Inland Container Depots
For sea freight, Telangana exporters typically move containers through inland container depots near Hyderabad, where customs clearance can happen, before the containers are railed or trucked to seaports on the east or west coast. Exporters register their AD code at the ICD and the ports they use.
Key Sectors
- Pharmaceuticals: exports need drug regulatory documents and often cold-chain handling.
- Seeds and agricultural goods: phytosanitary certificates and seed-specific rules apply.
- Engineering and defence components: some items need export licences under the SCOMET list.
- IT hardware and electronics: imports often need BIS compliance and other approvals.
GST for Telangana Exporters
File a GST LUT each year to export without IGST, and claim refunds of unused credit. Refunds are processed by the jurisdictional officer — from the Telangana Commercial Taxes Department or central GST.
A Checklist for Telangana Traders
- Get an IEC and complete the annual update every April to June.
- Register your AD code at the airport, ICD or ports you use.
- File a GST LUT each year.
- Check sector-specific export requirements.
- Track realisation of export proceeds.
Getting Help
Think Filing helps Telangana businesses start importing and exporting, from IEC to GST refunds.