For urgent spare parts from India, use an express courier for small, light parcels and air freight through a forwarder for heavier or multiple cartons. Both are faster than sea freight, but speed is lost quickly if the parts are not packed, described and documented correctly.
The choice between air freight and a spare parts courier from India depends on four things: the weight, the value, the destination and how much the machine's downtime costs you. This article shows how to weigh them.
Courier or air freight: which fits?
Express couriers run door to door and handle customs for you. They suit bearings, seals, sensors, small castings, electronic cards and a few kilograms of fasteners. Their strength is a single tracking number and delivery to your workshop.
Air freight through a forwarder suits heavier parts such as shafts, gearbox housings, motors or several cartons. The cargo flies airport to airport, and you or your agent clears it at the destination and delivers it onward. It is usually better value per kilogram once the shipment is no longer small.
- Choose a courier when the parcel is small, the part is urgent and you want one party responsible door to door.
- Choose air freight when the weight is high enough that courier rates become poor value, or when the parts need careful handling.
- Choose sea freight with the next machine order when the part is not urgent. Our note on how fast spares can be shipped compares the options.
How are chargeable weight and packing decided?
Airlines and couriers charge on the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight, which is worked out from the size of the box. A large, light carton can cost more to fly than a small heavy one. Pack tightly and use no more air in the box than the part needs.
Machined parts should be wrapped in rust-preventive paper or oil, cushioned against shock and placed in a strong carton. Mark the part number and the machine it fits on the outside, so it can be matched at your end.
What do customs need?
Spares are cleared on the same documents as other goods. The invoice should give a clear description, the part numbers, the quantity, the value and the country of origin. Use the right tariff code for the part, not the machine. Our note on HS codes for a machine or a part explains the difference.
Samples and free replacements under warranty still need an invoice. State that they are replacements and give the reference of the original machine and order. Without that, customs may treat them as new sales and assess duty on them.
Rules on couriered goods, including value thresholds and duty treatment, vary by country and change over time. Ask your courier or customs broker what applies at your border.
How do you avoid delays?
Most delays come from missing information, not from flight time. Send the consignee's tax number, a contact who will answer the phone, and a full address with a postcode. Ask the supplier to email the invoice and packing list before the parcel is collected, so you can check them.
Also agree who pays duty and taxes. If the seller sends the parcel on a delivered duty paid basis, the courier will bill them. If not, the courier will bill you at delivery, and the parcel waits until you pay.
Next step
If you buy spares regularly, it is cheaper to plan a stock list and a sea shipment than to fly every part. We can set up that supply and check the packing and documents on each dispatch. To start, book a free sourcing review.