Import from India to Saudi Arabia: Suppliers to SABER

If you want to import from India to Saudi Arabia, you need three things lined up before the first purchase order: a vetted supplier, a product that can pass SABER conformity, and a Fasah declaration filed at least 48 hours before the shipment reaches the port. Miss one and the goods can sit at Jeddah Islamic Port or Dammam while you pay storage.

This guide is for Saudi retailers and trading companies buying from Indian manufacturers. It is not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm each step on ZATCA, SASO and saber.sa.

What do you need before you import from India to Saudi Arabia?

You need a Saudi Commercial Registration, a Fasah account, a SABER account, and a supplier who can give you the right paperwork. Do these in order, because the SABER and customs steps both depend on your HS code.

Start with the HS code. It decides the duty rate, whether SASO regulates the product, and which extra documents you need. Secondary sources say the Integrated Customs Tariff moved to 12 digits from 1 January 2025. Check the current tariff on the ZATCA site, not a supplier's quote.

How do you vet an Indian supplier?

Check that the company is real, that it exports, and that it can produce the technical papers SABER needs. A price list alone proves none of that.

Here is a simple order of checks:

1. Ask for the Import Export Code (IEC). One secondary source suggests checking it at dgft.gov.in. Match the legal name to the one on the invoice and the factory's letterhead.
2. Match the company to its factory. Ask for the factory address, GST registration and a video call at the production line. Traders and manufacturers are not the same thing. Know which one you are paying.
3. Ask for test reports and certificates for your exact model. Not a similar model. SABER works per product model.
4. Request samples and test them. Do this before you commit to volume.
5. Agree who pays for conformity. Testing, certification and re-testing after a model change cost money. Put it in the purchase order.
6. Agree Incoterms in writing. FOB, CIF and DAP shift who books the freight and who carries risk.
7. Use a payment method with protection. A letter of credit or staged payments is safer than 100% upfront. Your bank can advise.

Keep every quote, reply and PO in one place. If a supplier changes the model number halfway through, you need the history.

What is SABER and who holds the account?

SABER is SASO's online platform for product conformity. SASO says importers must register all consumer products on it, and this has applied since the start of 2021 according to SASO's news item. Products under a technical regulation must meet it. Products not covered need a self-declaration.

The account sits with the Saudi importer. Secondary guides, such as Darchang Global, say the Indian factory cannot hold it and must work through a Saudi importer or agent. Registration starts with your commercial register data, which the Ministry of Commerce verifies, according to Saudipedia.

SASO also says SABER gives importers access to approved conformity assessment bodies worldwide. They can get shipment certificates and register them from the country of origin. That helps when your factory is in Gujarat or Tamil Nadu and you are in Riyadh.

Two certificates you will hear about

• Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC). Covers a product model. Secondary sources say it is valid for one year.
• Shipment Certificate of Conformity (SCoC). Issued per consignment.

I could not confirm an official date for when both became mandatory for all shipments. Sources give 2019, 2021 and 1 January 2025. Check saber.sa for your HS code instead of relying on any of them.

Is your product regulated or non-regulated?

SABER splits products by HS code. Regulated products need third-party certification. Non-regulated products need a self-declaration, and you carry the legal responsibility as importer.

Source for the split: secondary guides such as Darchang Global. Always confirm on saber.sa.

Electrical goods are a common example. A page aimed at Indian exporters says they need an IECEE CB certificate recognised by SASO. That is a secondary claim, so ask your conformity body what they accept for your exact item.

A secondary source says the SCoC is linked into Fasah, so you do not print it. It also says a shipment without a registered SCoC can be refused and returned at the importer's cost. That page is about two years old, so treat it as a warning, not current policy.

Some categories sit under other regulators too. Food, for example, involves SFDA registration. Check with the relevant authority before you order.

What documents does Fasah need for Indian goods?

ZATCA's import instructions say you must present a commercial invoice, a bill of lading and a certificate of origin. The certificate is not needed if the country of origin is clearly established. Other documents depend on the goods, so check the Customs Tariff or ask your broker.

The Fasah declaration must be completed at least 48 hours before the shipment reaches the port of entry. You can file it yourself or through a customs broker. Fasah lets you track the shipment and get notifications.

Two practical points on paperwork from India:

• Certificate of origin. One agent site says Saudi requires a three-step attested certificate: chamber or export promotion council, then India's Ministry of External Affairs, then the Saudi embassy. ZATCA's page doesn't say this. Some brokers do ask for it. Confirm with your broker before the supplier ships, because fixing it after loading is slow.
• Names must match. The importer name, supplier name, HS code and description should be the same on the invoice, packing list, bill of lading and SABER record. One mismatch can stall a file.

For the full Fasah walkthrough, read our post on Fasah Saudi customs clearance.

How much will it cost to land the goods?

Landed cost is the CIF value plus duty, then 15% VAT on the total of CIF plus duty. ZATCA's VAT guideline on imports says import VAT is 15% on all goods brought into the Kingdom. The importer pays it, and imports are reported in Box 8 of the VAT return, per ZATCA's input tax guideline.

Duty varies by tariff line. Secondary sources say the GCC common tariff is generally 5% on non-GCC goods, with some higher. Use the ZATCA tariff for your HS code.

Worked example (hypothetical, with 5% duty assumed):

Add certification, broker fees, port charges and inland transport on top. Your VAT treatment later depends on your own VAT position, so ask your accountant.

What mistakes do Saudi importers make most often?

• Ordering before checking the HS code and SABER status.
• Paying a trader who says they are a factory.
• Getting a certificate for a similar model, not the exact one.
• Leaving the certificate of origin question until the goods are packed.
• Filing the Fasah declaration late, inside the 48-hour window.
• Tracking suppliers, quotes and certificates in scattered WhatsApp chats and Excel files.

The last one is fixable. Quickship's Sourcing module handles RFQs, supplier quotes and purchase orders in one place, so you can compare Indian suppliers and keep the paper trail for each PO. It is software only. Quickship does not import, clear or ship goods, so your customs broker and freight forwarder still do that part.

A short pre-order checklist

1. Confirm the HS code with your broker.
2. Check SABER status for that code on saber.sa.
3. Verify the supplier's IEC, factory and test reports.
4. Agree who pays for conformity and what happens if a test fails.
5. Ask your broker about certificate of origin attestation.
6. Plan the Fasah filing at least 48 hours before arrival.
7. Budget duty and 15% import VAT before you agree the price.