Cross-border warranty claims succeed or fail on what you agreed before the machine shipped. Write down what is covered, for how long, how to claim and who pays for what. Then, when a fault appears, give the maker clear evidence quickly.
Without those terms, a claim becomes a negotiation with a supplier thousands of kilometres away who already has your money.
What the warranty clause should say
- When the warranty starts, such as from installation or from shipment, with a long-stop date if installation is delayed.
- What is covered: defects in design, materials and workmanship, including bought-out components.
- What is excluded, such as wear parts, misuse, poor power supply or unauthorised modification.
- How a claim must be made, by whom and within how many days of finding the fault.
- How fast the maker must respond, diagnose and dispatch a replacement.
- Who pays for replacement parts, freight both ways, customs clearance and any engineer visit.
- Which law governs the contract and how disputes are resolved, for example by arbitration.
When a fault appears
Record everything at once. Take photos and video of the fault, note alarm codes, and log the date, running hours and operating conditions. Keep the failed part, because the maker may ask to see it or have it returned.
Send the claim in writing, with the evidence, to the named contact in the contract. Follow up a phone call with an email that confirms what was agreed. A clear record helps if the claim is disputed later.
Agree a joint diagnosis before anyone decides fault. The maker may say the problem is your power supply, your material or your operator. Remote support, the fault log and the failed part usually settle it. If they do not, an independent engineer or inspector can examine the part, with the cost borne by whoever is found at fault.
Bought-out parts such as motors, drives and controllers often carry their own maker's warranty. The Indian supplier should handle that claim for you, but a local distributor of the component brand may be faster. Agree which route applies in the contract.
Give yourself leverage
Payment terms are your strongest tool. Many buyers hold back part of the price until after installation and acceptance, or ask for a bank guarantee covering the warranty period. Our guide to retention and performance guarantees explains the options.
Prevention is cheaper than any claim. A proper test before shipment and a check on arrival catch many faults while they are still easy to prove. Our guide to warranties from Indian machinery makers explains what is usual. Confirm the legal wording of any warranty clause with your lawyer.
Next step
We help you set warranty terms before the order and supervise testing before shipment. To review the terms for your machine, book a free sourcing review.