🇵🇦 India–Panama trade guide
Everything you need to ship from India to Panama or import from Panama to India: the trade agreement, routes and transit times, how your buyer imports, duties, regulators and documents.
India and Panama at a glance
No trade agreement with India.
A regional hub: the Colón Free Zone re-exports Indian goods (textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, motorcycles, auto parts) across the Americas. India buys small volumes.
Routes and transit times to Panama
30–40 days to Colón or Manzanillo. A key transhipment hub for the Caribbean and the west coast.
- Colón / Manzanillo / Cristóbal (Atlantic) PAONX
- Balboa (Pacific) PABLB
- Rodman / PSA (Pacific) PAROD
3–6 days.
- Panama City Tocumen PTY
Transit times are indicative port-to-port from Nhava Sheva / Mundra (sea) and Delhi / Mumbai (air). Routing changes (for example Red Sea diversions) can add 10–14 days.
Importing into Panama: what your buyer needs
- A licensed customs broker (corredor de aduanas) files the declaration with the ANA.
- The Colón Free Zone allows duty-free storage and re-export to the whole region.
Tariff mostly 0–15%, plus 7% ITBMS (VAT).
- MINSA: medicines and food
- MIDA: plant and animal health
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Bill of lading / AWB
- ISPM-15 wood packaging
From Panama to India, and tips from the field
Small flows.
- File the Bill of Entry through a licensed customs broker in India (YAM holds licence R-7/92).
- Check the HS code in the Indian tariff, the DGFT import policy (free, restricted or prohibited) and any BIS, FSSAI, plant quarantine or other permit before the goods ship.
- If an agreement applies, get the correct certificate of origin from the exporter to claim the lower duty.
- Selling to the Colón Free Zone is often the easiest way into smaller Caribbean and Central American markets.
- Our partner agents in Latin America can handle destination clearance and delivery. Ask us for a door-to-door quote.
Written by YAM Logistics from our own experience and public sources, checked November 2026. Duties, taxes, permits and trade agreements change often: treat rates and transit times as indicative and confirm them for your HS code and shipment before you quote or ship. This is general guidance, not legal or tax advice.
Questions people ask
Does India have a trade agreement with Panama?+
No trade agreement with India.
How long does shipping from India to Panama take?+
By sea: 30–40 days to Colón or Manzanillo. A key transhipment hub for the Caribbean and the west coast. By air: 3–6 days.
What does an importer in Panama need?+
A licensed customs broker (corredor de aduanas) files the declaration with the ANA. The Colón Free Zone allows duty-free storage and re-export to the whole region.
What duties and taxes apply in Panama?+
Tariff mostly 0–15%, plus 7% ITBMS (VAT).
Can YAM Logistics handle shipments to Panama?+
Yes. YAM handles export clearance and freight from India, and works with partner agents in Latin America for destination clearance and delivery to Panama. Message us on WhatsApp for a quote.