Caffeine (CAS 58-08-2): import duty, licences and trade rules in India

Caffeine is a trimethylxanthine in which the three methyl groups are located at positions 1, 3, and 7. For trade in India: OK to trade, but watch: food residue limits. Import duty is about 27.73% (tariff item 2939 30 00). DGFT policy: import Free, export Free.

OK to trade, but watch: food residue limits.

Checked 2026-10-31 against official Indian and international lists. Sources are given under each answer.

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Key facts

CAS number	58-08-2
Formula	C8H10N4O2
Also called	Guaranine, 1,3,7-Trimethylxanthine, Methyltheobromine, Theine
Tariff item (HS)	2939 30 00
Total import duty	about 27.73%
Anti-dumping duty (most producers)	None found
DGFT import policy	Free
DGFT export policy	Free
SCOMET (export control)	Not listed
NDPS / precursor	Not listed

Every answer, with its source

Rules in IndiaOK

No special Indian ban or licence found

Not on the Indian banned-pesticide, drug-precursor, narcotic, psychotropic or new-drug lists we check.
Normal factory, storage and GST rules still apply.
Import policy (DGFT ITC(HS)) for tariff item 2939 30 00: Free, so no import licence is needed under trade policy.

Source: CIB&RC pesticide lists · CDSCO new drug approvals · NDPS RCS Order 2013 · DGFT ITC(HS) 2022, Schedule 1 Import Policy

Exporting from IndiaOK

No export licence needed

Not on the SCOMET export-control list or the precursor export list.
Not approved as a pesticide in the EU: food sent there must carry almost none of it.
The buyer’s country may still have its own import rules.
Export policy (DGFT ITC(HS)) for tariff item 2939 30 00: Free.

Source: DGFT SCOMET list · NDPS RCS Order 2013 · DGFT ITC(HS) 2022, Schedule 2 Export Policy

Global treaties & export marketsOK

No treaty or export-market restriction found

Not listed by the Stockholm Convention (persistent pollutants), the Rotterdam Convention (prior consent before export) or the Montreal Protocol (ozone layer).
Registered under EU REACH, so EU importers can buy it under an existing registration.
Active on the US TSCA Inventory, so it can be imported into the US without a new-chemical notice.
Listed on the Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals (AICIS), so it can be introduced into Australia as an existing industrial chemical.
EU: harmonised classification (CLP Annex VI, index 613-086-00-5): Acute Tox. 4. Suppliers in the EU must label it this way.

Source: Stockholm Convention, all listed POPs · Rotterdam Convention Annex III · Montreal Protocol annexes (ozone layer, Kigali HFCs) · EU CLP Regulation Annex VI (harmonised classification) · US EPA TSCA Inventory · ECHA REACH lists, as published in PubChem

Import dutyOK

About 27.73% of the import value

About ₹27,730 duty on every ₹1,00,000 of import value (CIF).
Made up of basic customs duty 7.5%, social welfare surcharge 0.75% and IGST 18%. IGST can usually be claimed back as input tax credit.
Tariff item 2939 30 00: Caffeine and its salts.

Source: Customs Tariff of India, CBIC · Notification 45/2025-Customs · Notification 9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)

SafetyCHECK

Hazardous: take normal precautions

Irritates skin, eyes or breathing
Harmful if swallowed
Always read the supplier’s safety data sheet (SDS) before handling.

Source: PubChem GHS classification

Storage, transport & PESOOK

Dangerous goods for transport

Ships as UN 1544 (Poison): dangerous-goods rules apply by road, sea (IMDG) and air (IATA), with labels, packaging and a transport document.

Source: UN numbers (CAMEO Chemicals, via PubChem)

Food residue limitsCHECK

Default food limit applies

India (FSSAI) has no specific limit, so the default 0.01 mg/kg applies to food.
EU: not approved; most EU food limits are at the detection limit.

Source: FSSAI Contaminants Regulations · EU Pesticides Database

Price and suppliersOK

Listed on RasayanXchange

No daily rate yet. Ask suppliers for a quote.

Source: RasayanXchange market data

US patentsOK

US patents have expired

Generic versions can be sold in the US.
Indian patents are not checked.

Source: FDA Orange Book

Questions about Caffeine

What is the import duty on Caffeine in India?

The total import duty on Caffeine is about 27.73% of the import value under tariff item 2939 30 00, including basic customs duty, the social welfare surcharge and IGST. Check the latest notifications before you import.

Is there anti-dumping duty on Caffeine?

No anti-dumping duty on Caffeine was found in the Customs (ADD) notifications in force.

What is the HS code (tariff item) of Caffeine in India?

Caffeine falls under tariff item 2939 30 00 of the Customs Tariff of India.

Is Caffeine restricted or licensed in India?

No special Indian ban or licence found. Not on the Indian banned-pesticide, drug-precursor, narcotic, psychotropic or new-drug lists we check. Normal factory, storage and GST rules still apply.

Can Caffeine be imported freely into India?

Under DGFT's ITC(HS) import policy, Caffeine is Free.

Does exporting Caffeine from India need a licence?

No export licence needed. Not on the SCOMET export-control list or the precursor export list.

Is Caffeine hazardous?

Hazardous: take normal precautions. Irritates skin, eyes or breathing. Harmful if swallowed. Always read the supplier’s safety data sheet (SDS) before handling.

Is Caffeine regulated under global treaties or in the EU and US?

No treaty or export-market restriction found. Not listed by the Stockholm Convention (persistent pollutants), the Rotterdam Convention (prior consent before export) or the Montreal Protocol (ozone layer). Registered under EU REACH, so EU importers can buy it under an existing registration.

Related chemicals

Guidance from official lists, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with DGFT, customs or the regulator before you trade.