What licenses does a foreign company need to import or export goods in India?

The Importer Exporter Code (IEC) is the baseline requirement - a 10-digit number issued by the DGFT that's mandatory before any cross-border shipment of goods, and is linked to the company's PAN. It's obtained through a fully online application and typically issued within 1-2 working days once the application and supporting documents are complete, with no renewal required since IEC is now valid for the entity's lifetime as long as it's updated annually to remain active.

Beyond IEC, certain goods require additional approvals: restricted items need a specific import/export license from DGFT, items regulated by other authorities (pharmaceuticals, food products, chemicals, telecom equipment) need clearance from the relevant regulator (FSSAI, CDSCO, WPC, etc.), and some categories are entirely prohibited. Customs clearance itself also requires registration with customs (as part of IEC issuance) and, for regular importers, an Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) registration can meaningfully speed up clearance times.