🇦🇪 Importing from India to UAE
Terry Towel Import
Compliance — UAE
The UAE is a major re-export hub and hospitality market for Indian terry towels, driven by its booming hotel industry (700+ hotels in Dubai alone). India and the UAE have a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed in 2022, which significantly reduces duty on many Indian textiles.
HS Code
6302.60
Duty Rate
5%
Authority
UAE Federal Customs Authority
Mandatory Cert
2 required
HS Code & Import Duty
HS Classification
6302.60
Terry towelling and similar woven terry fabrics, toilet linen and kitchen linen
Duty Rate
5% (GCC Common External Tariff) + 5% VAT
The GCC common external tariff of 5% applies. UAE introduced 5% VAT in 2018, applied on (CIF + duty). Total effective rate: approximately 10.25% on CIF. Some goods may be duty-exempt under bilateral agreements.
Labeling Requirements
Labels must be in Arabic and English (bilingual is mandatory for goods sold in the UAE market).
Fiber content by percentage must be stated.
Country of origin ("Made in India") is required.
Care symbols must be present and legible.
For hotel procurement, ESMA may require ESMA conformity mark for certain textile categories — verify with your customs agent.
Required Import Documents
Commercial Invoice
In USD or AED; must include HS code, description, origin, buyer/seller details.
Packing List
Standard per-carton breakdown.
Bill of Lading or Air Waybill
Sea or air transport document.
Certificate of Origin (CEPA Form)
For India-UAE CEPA preferential duty, a CEPA-compliant CO issued by DGFT or export body is required.
Import Declaration
Filed through UAE Federal Customs Authority or Dubai Customs portal.
Phytosanitary Certificate
Not required for manufactured textiles. Required only for raw cotton or plant-based materials.
Anabyn provides all standard export documents — Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading, Certificate of Origin — with every shipment. Certification documents (GOTS, Oeko-Tex) are available on request.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the India-UAE CEPA reduce duty on towels?
Yes. The India-UAE CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) signed in 2022 provides preferential duty on many Indian textile goods. Terry towels (HS 6302.60) may qualify for 0% or reduced duty under CEPA. A CEPA Certificate of Origin is required to claim the benefit.
Is Arabic labeling mandatory for towels sold in the UAE?
Yes. All goods sold in the UAE retail market must carry bilingual labels (Arabic + English). For bulk hotel supply, the importer's commercial invoice and packing list must be in English, but retail-level labeling requires Arabic.
What VAT applies to textile imports in the UAE?
5% VAT is applied on the CIF + duty value of the imported goods. VAT-registered businesses can recover input VAT through the standard mechanism.
Can I re-export Indian towels from UAE to other GCC countries?
Yes. The UAE is a major re-export hub. Goods imported into UAE free zones (e.g., Jebel Ali) can be re-exported to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, etc. within the GCC with appropriate documentation.
Ready to Import?
Source Certified Towels from India
Anabyn handles all export documentation and certification. We ship to UAE with full compliance support.