Sodium Hydroxide (CAS 1310-73-2): import duty, licences and trade rules in India
Sodium hydroxide is an alkali metal hydroxide. For trade in India: OK to trade, but watch: rules in India; food residue limits. Import duty is about 27.73% (tariff item 2815 11 10). DGFT policy: import Free, export Free.
Checked 2026-10-31 against official Indian and international lists. Sources are given under each answer.
Key facts
| CAS number | 1310-73-2 |
|---|---|
| Formula | HNaO |
| Also called | Caustic soda, Sodium hydrate, Aetznatron, Soda lye |
| Tariff item (HS) | 2815 11 10 |
| 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 IndiaCHECK
- 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 2815 11 10: Free, so no import licence is needed under trade policy.
- A BIS Quality Control Order covers caustic soda (latest notice 19 Mar 2021): making, importing or selling it needs the BIS mark while the order is in force. Confirm the current status on chemicals.gov.in.
- On India’s hazardous chemicals list (MSIHC Rules 1989). Importers must send the State authorities the consignment details and full safety information before each import (30 days ahead where possible, never later than the import date) and keep import records.
Exporting from IndiaOK
- 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 2815 11 10: Free.
Global treaties & export marketsOK
- 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 011-002-00-6): Skin Corr. 1A. Suppliers in the EU must label it this way.
Import dutyOK
- 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 2815 11 10: Sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), solid, flakes.
SafetyCHECK
- Burns skin and eyes, eats into metal
- Irritates skin, eyes or breathing
- May be corrosive to metals
- Causes severe skin burns and eye damage
- Causes skin irritation
- Causes serious eye damage
- Causes serious eye irritation
- Always read the supplier’s safety data sheet (SDS) before handling.
Storage, transport & PESOOK
- Ships as UN 1823 / UN 1824 (Corrosive): dangerous-goods rules apply by road, sea (IMDG) and air (IATA), with labels, packaging and a transport document.
Food residue limitsCHECK
- 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.
Price and suppliersOK
- 2 suppliers on RasayanXchange (Gujarat, Maharashtra).
Questions about Sodium Hydroxide
What is the import duty on Sodium Hydroxide in India?
The total import duty on Sodium Hydroxide is about 27.73% of the import value under tariff item 2815 11 10, including basic customs duty, the social welfare surcharge and IGST. Check the latest notifications before you import.
Is there anti-dumping duty on Sodium Hydroxide?
No anti-dumping duty on Sodium Hydroxide was found in the Customs (ADD) notifications in force.
What is the HS code (tariff item) of Sodium Hydroxide in India?
Sodium Hydroxide falls under tariff item 2815 11 10 of the Customs Tariff of India.
Is Sodium Hydroxide restricted or licensed in India?
BIS mark needed (Quality Control Order). 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 Sodium Hydroxide be imported freely into India?
Under DGFT's ITC(HS) import policy, Sodium Hydroxide is Free.
Does exporting Sodium Hydroxide from India need a licence?
No export licence needed. Not on the SCOMET export-control list or the precursor export list.
Is Sodium Hydroxide hazardous?
Dangerous: handle with proper protection. Burns skin and eyes, eats into metal. Irritates skin, eyes or breathing. May be corrosive to metals.
Is Sodium Hydroxide 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.