Markets
How India's leaf, scrap, stems and dust reach six import markets
One guide for each market, with a sourced figure and its year: Indonesia imported 214 kt in 2025, Vietnam US$307M in 2023, Egypt US$126.8M in 2025, the UAE US$547.4M in 2023 and the United States US$880.1M in 2025. India was the second-largest extra-EU supplier in 2024.
Six markets
Role, figure and entry rules, side by side
Every figure below appears, with its source, on the market's own page.
| Market | Role in the trade | Verified figure, year and source | Entry rules | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | Kretek makers import stemmed leaf, and refuse imports have tripled since 2022. | 214 kt of HS 2401 imported in 2025 (US$1.17bn). India supplied 28.7 kt of stemmed leaf, third behind China and Brazil. UN Comtrade / WITS, Indonesia-reported. | An importer with an API-P or API-U number holds an import approval, and each shipment is verified before loading. | Read the page |
| Vietnam | A quota market in which licensed cigarette makers and leaf processors are the only buyers. | US$307M of HS 2401 imported in 2023. The 2026 import quota is 79,199 t. UN Comtrade / WITS, Vietnam-reported; MOIT Circular 04/2026/TT-BCT. | Only holders of a MOIT licence may import, within an annual quota allocation. | Read the page |
| Egypt | No domestic crop, so cigarette and shisha makers buy leaf abroad. India was the largest single origin in 2022 to 2025. | US$126.8M of HS 2401 imported in 2025, of which India US$36.6M (29%). UN Comtrade, Egypt-reported. | Advance cargo information is registered for every sea shipment, with the ACID number on the invoice and bill of lading. | Read the page |
| Belgium and the EU | Antwerp is a discharge and bonded-warehouse gateway. The tariff is the EU's own. | India was the second-largest extra-EU supplier of HS 2401 in 2024: US$358.8M, about 79 kt. UN Comtrade, EU as reporter. | EU common tariff on arrival, and a waste import control on refuse (Regulation (EU) 2024/1157) since 21 May 2026. | Read the page |
| United States | A large importer where India supplies a small share, mainly stemmed leaf. | US$880.1M of HS 2401 imported in 2025, about 127 kt; India about 4 to 6% by volume in 2024 and 2025. UN Comtrade, US-reported. | General HTS rate plus a 10% Section 301 duty for India since 24 July 2026. Cigarette-use leaf falls under a quota. | Read the page |
| United Arab Emirates | A trading and re-export hub for importers, licensed manufacturers and traders. | US$547.4M of HS 2401 imported in 2023. India was the largest origin in 2024 at US$204.7M. UAE-reported. | Excise is reported at 100% on all of Chapter 24, with exports exempt. Manufacture is licensed. | Read the page |
By region
The four regions in brief
Asia-Pacific
Indonesia's imports of HS 2401 rose from 129 kt in 2023 to 214 kt in 2025. Vietnam's are held within an annual quota, 79,199 t in 2026.
Middle East and Africa
Egypt imported US$126.8M in 2025 and the UAE US$547.4M in 2023. India was the largest single origin in Egypt from 2022 to 2025 and in the UAE in 2024.
Europe
India was the second-largest extra-EU supplier of HS 2401 in 2024, at US$358.8M. Antwerp is a discharge and bonded-warehouse gateway.
The Americas
The United States imported US$880.1M of HS 2401 in 2025, with India about 4 to 6% of volume. A Section 301 duty of 10% applies to Indian origin since 24 July 2026.
Sources: UN Comtrade and World Bank WITS, HS 2401, reporter as named in each row, calendar years as stated; Ministry of Industry and Trade (Vietnam) circulars; EU TARIC and Regulation (EU) 2024/1157; US Harmonized Tariff Schedule; UAE federal excise legislation. Reported values differ between importing and exporting countries. Full sources and dates are on each market page.
Next steps
Specifications and documents
Send the product, quantity and destination
Email contact@indileaf.co or ring +91 80001 50037 and tell us the product, grade and destination; we reply with a specification sheet and what the route requires.
