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Heading · Chapter 38 · Section VI, Products of the chemical or allied industries

HS 3821Prepared culture media for development or maintenance of micro-organism (including viruses and the like) or of plant human or animal cells

Miscellaneous chemical products

Customs duty
7.5%
1 tariff item
GST now
18%
Import policy
Free
Export policy
Free
Unit
kg
Duty in China
2%
On Indian goods
Search codesRates as on 19 Oct 2026

Codes under this heading

1 code. Duty and GST are set on the 8-digit tariff items; open the one that describes your goods.

Codes under this code
CodeDescriptionCustoms dutyGST nowUnit
3821 00 00Prepared culture media for development or maintenance of micro-organism (including viruses and the like) or of plant human or animal cells7.5%18%kg

Importing into India

Duty is set on each 8-digit tariff item: open one of the codes above. Basic customs duty across its 1 tariff items: 7.5%. The rules below cover this whole code.

Anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard duty

None in force on this code as on 19 Oct 2026.

Import policy (DGFT ITC(HS)) of its tariff items

  • Free: 1 tariff item

GST

IGST on imports is the GST rate. Rates changed on 22 September 2025.

  • Now 18%.
  • Until 21 September 2025 18%.
  • Change: Unchanged.

The rules that set it now

GST rate rules in force
NotificationGoodsRate
9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)Schedule II, S.No. 108Prepared culture media for development or maintenance of micro- organisms (including viruses and the like) or of plant, human or animal cells18%

History

GST rate history
PeriodRateNotification
Until 21 Sep 202518%1/2017-Central Tax (Rate)
From 22 Sep 202518%9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)

Exporting from India

Export duty

Nil. The Second Schedule to the Customs Tariff Act does not list these goods, so no export duty is charged.

Duty drawback (All Industry Rates)

All Industry Rates of duty drawback under this heading
Drawback itemGoodsRateCap
3821Prepared culture media for development or maintenance of micro-organisms (including viruses and the like) or of plant, human or animal cells1.2%—

Drawback items follow the 4-digit heading, not the 8-digit code: claim the one that describes your goods. Rates of notification 77/2023-Customs (N.T.) as amended, in force on 19 Oct 2026.

Export policy (DGFT ITC(HS) Schedule 2) of its tariff items

  • Free: 1 tariff item

China: the same goods (3821)

China shares the first 6 digits with India and splits them into 10-digit codes of its own: 1 in force under 3821. Exporters see what China charges Indian goods; importers see the rebate and licences their Chinese supplier deals with.

China's tariff for these goods
China codeGoodsDuty on Indian goodsMFNImport VATExport rebateLicences
3821.00.00.00Prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of micro-organisms制成的供微生物生长或维持用培养基2%China's provisional rate, lower than MFN3%13%0%None
  • India is a member of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA). With an APTA certificate of origin, Indian goods pay China's APTA rate where the line has one; China applies the lower of that and its provisional rate.
  • The export VAT rebate is what China refunds its own exporters. When China cuts it, Chinese export prices tend to rise.

China's tariff as compiled by HS编码网 from China Customs, the State Council Tariff Commission and the State Taxation Administration. The Chinese is the original.

Nearby codes

Previous3820Anti-freezing preparations and prepared de-icing fluidsOne level upChapter 38Miscellaneous chemical productsNext3822Diagnostic or laboratory reagents on a backing, prepared diagnostic or laboratory reagents whether or not on a backing, whether or not put up in the form of kits, other than those of heading 3006; certified reference materials

Sources

For information, not a customs ruling. Only notifications published in the Gazette have legal force; confirm the duty with your customs broker or ICEGATE before you price a deal.