1 Plan + customs check before shopping

Confirm destination customs limits — USA: $800 personal + $100 unsolicited gifts; UK: £390; Canada: CAD 800; Australia: AUD 900. Above this, declare and pay duty

Gold limits going OUT of India: 20g men / 40g women on person; under 1 oz doesn't trigger US declaration. Always carry purchase receipts

Confirm baggage allowance with airline — many India-US flights allow 2 × 23kg checked. Excess baggage fee is ~$100-200 per extra bag

2 Apparel + jewellery highest value, lowest weight

Sarees — Manyavar, FabIndia, Biba, Sabyasachi (couture), local Banarasi / Kanchipuram weavers. Range Rs 2K-5L. Pre-stitched petticoat saves time abroad

Online sarees →

Kurtas + sherwanis — Manyavar (premium), W for Women, Aurelia, FabIndia, Cottons. Better fit + fabric than what's available abroad at any price

Online kurtas →

Gold jewellery — Tanishq (transparent BIS hallmark + buyback), Kalyan, Joyalukkas, Malabar Gold. Always: current gold rate per gram + making charges (10-25%) + GST 3%

Pashmina / cashmere shawls from Kashmir — Kashmir Box, Cottons. Real pashmina passes the ring test; Rs 5,000-50,000 depending on weave

Indian leather + handcraft — Hidesign (bags), Cottons (totes), Lifestyle stores. Better leather quality than US Costco-tier at half the price

3 Sweets + food commercial packaging only

Branded sweet boxes (vacuum-sealed, FDA-friendly): Haldiram's, Bikanervala, Theobroma (Mumbai), KC Das (Kolkata for rasgulla)

Order sweets online →

FNP (Ferns N Petals) + IGP (Indian Gifts Portal) — sweet boxes with fast delivery in India + abroad shipping

FNP gifts →

Masalas + spices (sealed retail packs only): Everest, MDH, Catch, Tata Sampann. Garam masala + sambar + rasam mixes are the highest-margin saves

Masala packs →

Dry fruits — Wonderland, Manna Foods, local mandi. Indian almonds + cashews are 2-3x cheaper than US retail. Pack in original sealed packaging

Pickle, papad, tea — Mother's Recipe, Priya, Lijjat papad, Wagh Bakri tea. Avoid home-made if customs may inspect; commercial-pack passes easily

Avoid — fresh fruit, fresh meat / fish, milk products (US only allows shelf-stable dairy), home-made pickle / chutney with mango skin / lime / pomegranate (USDA flagged)

4 Decor + religious + household distinctly Indian

Brass / copper / silver pooja items — Karagiri, Iskcon stores, local religious markets. Avoid antique-looking pieces (CBP / customs flag potential antiques)

Religious idols + statues — Iskcon stores, Pondy Bazaar, Janpath. Get a "not antique" certificate for anything that looks aged

Bidri ware from Bidar (Karnataka), Channapatna toys, Ikat fabric from Telangana — all uniquely Indian, low weight, passes customs

Books, music, art — Crossword, Kitab Khana (Mumbai), Phoenix Books (Bengaluru), Saraswathi (Madras Music Academy). Book weight is high; ship don't carry

5 Pack + ship strategy don't overload baggage

Carry only high-value, fragile, sentimental in baggage — gold jewellery, sarees, key gifts, religious items

Ship the bulk via specialty Indian-goods couriers — Sky2C, Aramex India, ShipBaba, ParcelChief. $80-180 for 5kg, 7-10 days India to US

Pack sweets + food in original retail packaging, vacuum-sealed if possible. Photograph contents before sealing for customs

Carry receipts for high-value items — gold, sarees over Rs 50K, jewellery. Customs is suspicious of new items without invoices

What to buy in India and take back? The NRI shopping checklist.

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