Tariff item · Chapter 38 · Section VI, Products of the chemical or allied industries
HS 3821 00 00Prepared 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%
- Tariff rate
- GST now
- 18%
- Import policy
- Free
- Export policy
- Free
- Unit
- kg
- Duty in China
- 2%
- On Indian goods
Importing into India
What customs charges, what trade agreements take off, and the rules the goods must meet.
Customs duty
| Duty | Rate | Charged on |
|---|---|---|
| Basic customs duty (BCD), MFN rate | 7.5% | Assessable value |
| Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC) | Nil | Assessable value11/2021-Customs, S.No. 17 |
| Social Welfare Surcharge (SWS) | 10% of BCD, AIDC and Health Cess | BCD + AIDC |
| Integrated GST (IGST) | 18% | Assessable value + BCD + AIDC + SWS |
Lower duty under trade agreements
| Agreement | Customs duty | Goods from |
|---|---|---|
| ASEAN–India FTA | 0% | Brunei, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam |
| Duty-free tariff preference for LDCs | 0% | Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Benin, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Cambodia, Comoros, Laos, Liberia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Myanmar, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Somalia, Chad, Togo, Timor-Leste, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia |
| India–Australia ECTA | 0% | Australia |
| India–Japan CEPA | 0% | Japan |
| India–Korea CEPA | 0% | South Korea |
| India–Malaysia CECA | 0% | Malaysia |
| India–Sri Lanka FTA | 0% | Sri Lanka |
| India–UAE CEPA | 0% | United Arab Emirates |
| India–UK CETA29/2026-Customs | 0% | United Kingdom |
| SAFTA | 0% | Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal |
| APTA | 4.125% | Bangladesh, China, South Korea, Sri Lanka |
| SAFTA | 5% | Sri Lanka |
| India–EFTA TEPA51/2025-Customs | 6% | Switzerland, Liechtenstein |
Goods from Pakistan pay 200%.
Anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard duty
None in force on this code as on 20 Oct 2026.
Clearance by other agencies
CBIC's Compliance Information Portal lists no other agency's clearance for imports of this item.
From Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Compliance Information Portal.
Import policy (DGFT ITC(HS))
- Free.
Notes on these rates
- BCD is the statutory tariff rate from a one-time snapshot of the Indian Trade Portal. Exemption notifications (such as 45/2025-Customs) and tariff changes made after the snapshot, including the Finance Act 2026 changes from 1 May 2026, are not applied.
- IGST comes from our archived GST table, which still has the 12% and 28% slabs, so it may pre-date the GST rate changes of 22 September 2025. Check the current rate.
- AIDC, Health Cess and the SWS exemptions are read from notifications 11/2021-Customs, 08/2020-Customs and 11/2018-Customs as amended (to 16/2026-Customs), and the notifications that lower AIDC for a while. SWS is 10% of BCD, AIDC and Health Cess together (Finance Act 2018, s.110), never of anti-dumping, countervailing or safeguard duty or IGST.
- AIDC is Nil (S.No. 17 of 11/2021-Customs, which exempts all goods it does not name).
- Not included: GST compensation cess, anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard duties, and exemptions or concessions such as end-use, EOU/SEZ or project imports.
- This does not check whether the import is allowed (DGFT import policy, licences, quality-control orders). The HS code explorer shows the import policy.
- This is an estimate, not an assessment. Confirm the duty with your customs broker or ICEGATE's duty calculator before you price a deal.
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
| Notification | Goods | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)Schedule II, S.No. 108 | Prepared culture media for development or maintenance of micro- organisms (including viruses and the like) or of plant, human or animal cells | 18% |
History
| Period | Rate | Notification |
|---|---|---|
| Until 21 Sep 2025 | 18% | 1/2017-Central Tax (Rate) |
| From 22 Sep 2025 | 18% | 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)
| Drawback item | Goods | Rate | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3821 | Prepared culture media for development or maintenance of micro-organisms (including viruses and the like) or of plant, human or animal cells | 1.2% | — |
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 20 Oct 2026.
Export incentives (RoDTEP and RoSCTL)
- RoDTEP, Appendix 4R (exports from the domestic tariff area): 0.7% of the FOB value, until 31 Dec 2026.
- RoDTEP, Appendix 4RE (exports under Advance Authorisation, EOU or SEZ): 0.4% of the FOB value, until 31 Dec 2026.
Clearance by other agencies
CBIC's Compliance Information Portal lists no other agency's clearance for exports of this item.
*AS PER CIR NO.47/2017-CUS DTD 27/11/2017 FOR THE PURPOSE OF GRANT OF DRAWBACK WHEREVER EXPORT CONSIGNMENTS ARE SELECTED FOR ASSESSMENT OR EXAMINATION,THE AC/DC SHALL DETERMINE THE NEED TO DRAW SAMPLE ON MERITS OF EACH CASE.IF THE PACKING IS OF WOODEN MATERIAL, ENSURE THE VALID PHYTOSANITARY CERTIFICATE AND ISPM-15 MARKING COMPLIANCE AS PER CBEC INSTR. F.NO.450/19/2005-CUS-IV DTD 16.9.13.*
From Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Compliance Information Portal.
Export policy (DGFT ITC(HS) Schedule 2)
- Free.
What buyers pay abroad: import duty in the US, UK, EU and Australia for 3821 00, and China's below.
China: the same goods (3821 00)
China shares the first 6 digits with India and splits them into 10-digit codes of its own: 1 in force under 3821 00. Exporters see what China charges Indian goods; importers see the rebate and licences their Chinese supplier deals with.
| China code | Goods | Duty on Indian goods | MFN | Import VAT | Export rebate | Licences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3821.00.00.00 | Prepared 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 MFN | 3% | 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.
Every Chinese code in full
3821.00.00Prepared culture media for micro-organisms or plants, human or animal cells
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
And prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基
- Unit
- kg
- MFN import duty
- 3%
- Provisional import duty
- 2%
- General import duty
- 11%
- Import VAT
- 13%
- Consumption tax
- 0%
- Export duty
- 0%
- Provisional export duty
- None
- Export VAT rebate
- 0%
- Updated by China
- 7 Sep 2026
Licences and certificates
None.
Inspection and quarantine
None.
What the customs declaration must state
- 0.Brand type品牌类型
- 1.Export preferential status出口享惠情况
- 2.Use用途
- 3.Ingredients成分
- 4.GTIN
- 5.CAS
- 6.Other其他
China's agreement rates
- ASEAN
- 0%
- Chile
- 0%
- Pakistan
- 0%
- New Zealand
- 0%
- Peru
- 0%
- Costa Rica
- 0%
- Switzerland
- 0%
- Iceland
- 0%
- Australia
- 0%
- South Korea
- 0%
- Georgia
- 0%
- Mauritius
- 0%
- Maldives
- 0%
- Cambodia
- 0%
- Nicaragua
- 0%
- Ecuador
- 0%
- Serbia
- 0%
- Hong Kong
- 0%
- Macao
- 0%
RCEP rates
- Australia
- 0%
- Brunei
- 0%
- Cambodia
- 0%
- South Korea
- 0%
- Laos
- 0%
- Malaysia
- 0%
- New Zealand
- 0%
- Singapore
- 0%
- Thailand
- 0%
- Vietnam
- 0%
- Japan
- 0%
- Indonesia
- 0%
- Philippines
- 0%
- Myanmar
- 0%
CIQ codes
- 3821000000101Prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of micro-organisms (incl. viruses & similar) (and prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells) (animal microbial culture media)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(动物微生物培养培养基)
- 3821000000102Prepared culture media for the development or maintenance of micro-organisms (including viruses and the like) (and prepared culture media for the development or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells) (other medical biological products)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(其他医用生物制品)
- 3821000000103Prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of micro-organisms (including viruses and the like) and for plant, human or animal cells (culture media containing bovine or ovine derived components)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(含有牛、羊源性成分的培养基)
- 3821000000104Prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of microorganisms (including viruses and similar products) (and prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells) (containing blood or other human tissues or proteins directly extracted from blood or other human tissues, and containing animal-derived biological materials of risk level 1, excluding those managed as pharmaceuticals, veterinary medicines, or medical devices)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(含血液等人体组织或直接提取自血液等人体组织的蛋白,并含有一级风险动物源性生物材料成分的,纳入药品、兽药、医疗器械管理的除外)
- 3821000000105Prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of microorganisms (including viruses and similar products) (and prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells) (containing blood or other human tissues or proteins directly extracted from blood or other human tissues, and containing animal-derived biological materials of risk level 2, excluding those managed as pharmaceuticals, veterinary medicines, or medical devices)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(含血液等人体组织或直接提取自血液等人体组织的蛋白,并含有二级风险动物源性生物材料成分的,纳入药品、兽药、医疗器械管理的除外)
- 3821000000106Prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of microorganisms (including viruses and similar products) (and prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells) (containing blood or other human tissues or proteins directly extracted from blood or other human tissues, and containing animal-derived biological materials of risk level 3, excluding those managed as pharmaceuticals, veterinary medicines, or medical devices)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(含血液等人体组织或直接提取自血液等人体组织的蛋白,并含有三级风险动物源性生物材料成分的,纳入药品、兽药、医疗器械管理的除外)
- 3821000000107Prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of microorganisms (including viruses and similar products) (and prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells) (containing blood or other human tissues or proteins directly extracted from blood or other human tissues, and containing animal-derived biological materials of risk level 4, excluding those managed as pharmaceuticals, veterinary medicines, or medical devices)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(含血液等人体组织或直接提取自血液等人体组织的蛋白,并含有四级风险动物源性生物材料成分的,纳入药品、兽药、医疗器械管理的除外)
- 3821000000108Prepared culture media for growth or maintenance of micro-organisms (incl. viruses & similar) (and prepared culture media for growth or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells) (containing special article components other than blood & human tissues, proteins directly extracted from blood & human tissues, and containing animal-derived biological material components of risk level 1, excluding those managed as medicines, veterinary medicines, or medical devices)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(含除血液等人体组织、直接提取自血液等人体组织的蛋白外其他特殊物品成分,并含有一级风险动物源性生物材料成分的,纳入药品、兽药、医疗器械管理的除外)
- 3821000000109Prepared culture media for growth or maintenance of micro-organisms (incl. viruses & similar) (and prepared culture media for growth or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells) (containing special article components other than blood & human tissues, proteins directly extracted from blood & human tissues, and containing animal-derived biological material components of risk level 2, excluding those managed as medicines, veterinary medicines, or medical devices)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(含除血液等人体组织、直接提取自血液等人体组织的蛋白外其他特殊物品成分,并含有二级风险动物源性生物材料成分的,纳入药品、兽药、医疗器械管理的除外)
- 3821000000110Prepared culture media for growth or maintenance of micro-organisms (incl. viruses & similar) (and prepared culture media for growth or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells) (containing special article components other than blood & human tissues, proteins directly extracted from blood & human tissues, and containing animal-derived biological material components of risk level 3, excluding those managed as medicines, veterinary medicines, or medical devices)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(含除血液等人体组织、直接提取自血液等人体组织的蛋白外其他特殊物品成分,并含有三级风险动物源性生物材料成分的,纳入药品、兽药、医疗器械管理的除外)
- 3821000000111Prepared culture media for growth or maintenance of micro-organisms (incl. viruses & similar) (and prepared culture media for growth or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells) (containing special article components other than blood & human tissues, proteins directly extracted from blood & human tissues, and containing animal-derived biological material components of risk level 4, excluding those managed as medicines, veterinary medicines, or medical devices)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(含除血液等人体组织、直接提取自血液等人体组织的蛋白外其他特殊物品成分,并含有四级风险动物源性生物材料成分的,纳入药品、兽药、医疗器械管理的除外)
- 3821000000112Prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of microorganisms (incl. viruses and similar products) (and prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells) (containing human tissues such as blood or proteins directly extracted from human tissues such as blood, deemed to have low biosafety risk after assessment, and containing Class 1 risk animal-derived biological material components, for human medical related fields, excluding those managed as pharmaceuticals, veterinary drugs, or medical devices)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(含经风险评估认为生物安全风险较低,含血液等人体组织或直接提取自血液等人体组织的蛋白,并含有一级风险动物源性生物材料成分的,用于人类医学相关领域,纳入药品、兽药、医疗器械管理的除外)
- 3821000000113Prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of microorganisms (incl. viruses and similar products) (and prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells) (containing human tissues such as blood or proteins directly extracted from human tissues such as blood, deemed to have low biosafety risk after assessment, and containing Class 2 risk animal-derived biological material components, for human medical related fields, excluding those managed as pharmaceuticals, veterinary drugs, or medical devices)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(含经风险评估认为生物安全风险较低,含血液等人体组织或直接提取自血液等人体组织的蛋白,并含有二级风险动物源性生物材料成分的,用于人类医学相关领域,纳入药品、兽药、医疗器械管理的除外)
- 3821000000114Prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of microorganisms (incl. viruses and similar products) (and prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells) (containing human tissues such as blood or proteins directly extracted from human tissues such as blood, deemed to have low biosafety risk after assessment, and containing Class 3 risk animal-derived biological material components, for human medical related fields, excluding those managed as pharmaceuticals, veterinary drugs, or medical devices)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(含经风险评估认为生物安全风险较低,含血液等人体组织或直接提取自血液等人体组织的蛋白,并含有三级风险动物源性生物材料成分的,用于人类医学相关领域,纳入药品、兽药、医疗器械管理的除外)
- 3821000000115Prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of microorganisms (incl. viruses and similar products) (and prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells) (containing human tissues such as blood or proteins directly extracted from human tissues such as blood, deemed to have low biosafety risk after assessment, and containing Class 4 risk animal-derived biological material components, for human medical related fields, excluding those managed as pharmaceuticals, veterinary drugs, or medical devices)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(含经风险评估认为生物安全风险较低,含血液等人体组织或直接提取自血液等人体组织的蛋白,并含有四级风险动物源性生物材料成分的,用于人类医学相关领域,纳入药品、兽药、医疗器械管理的除外)
- 3821000000116Prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of micro-organisms (including viruses and the like) and for plant, human or animal cells (other culture media containing animal-derived components)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(其他含动物源性成分的培养基)
- 3821000000401Prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of micro-organisms (including viruses and similar organisms) (and prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells) (containing human tissue such as blood or proteins directly extracted from human tissue such as blood, excluding those managed as medicines, veterinary medicines, or medical devices)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(含血液等人体组织或直接提取自血液等人体组织的蛋白,纳入药品、兽药、医疗器械管理的除外)
- 3821000000402Prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of micro-organisms (including viruses and similar products) (and prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells) (containing special components other than human tissues such as blood, or proteins directly extracted from human tissues such as blood, excluding those managed as pharmaceuticals, veterinary drugs, or medical devices)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(含除血液等人体组织、直接提取自血液等人体组织的蛋白外其他特殊物品成分,纳入药品、兽药、医疗器械管理的除外)
- 3821000000403Prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of micro-organisms (including viruses and the like) and prepared culture media for the growth or maintenance of plant, human or animal cells (excluding those with low biosafety risk after risk assessment, containing human tissues such as blood or proteins directly extracted from human tissues such as blood, used in human medicine-related fields, and managed as drugs, veterinary drugs, or medical devices)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(含经风险评估认为生物安全风险较低,含血液等人体组织或直接提取自血液等人体组织的蛋白,用于人类医学相关领域,纳入药品、兽药、医疗器械管理的除外)
- 3821000000990Prepared culture media for the development or maintenance of micro-organisms (including viruses and the like) or of plant, human or animal cells (other)制成的供微生物(包括病毒及类似品)生长或维持用培养基(及制成的供植物、人体或动物细胞生长或维持用的培养基)(其他)
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
Sources
- GSTN HSN code masterChecked 13 Oct 2026
- DGFT ITC(HS) import and export policyChecked 9 Oct 2026
- GST rate per HSN (archived GSTZen extract)Checked 29 Sep 2026
- Customs Tariff of India (First Schedule): sections, chapters, notes and statutory BCDChecked 19 Oct 2026
- GST rates on goods, before and after 22 September 2025Checked 18 Oct 2026
- BIS compulsory certification: products and Quality Control OrdersChecked 18 Oct 2026
- Anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard duties in force (India)Checked 19 Oct 2026
- India import tariff by origin (Indian Trade Portal snapshot)Checked 29 Sep 2026
- GST schedule headings and 8-digit IGST (archived)Checked 29 Sep 2026
- HS code descriptions (archived file)Checked 29 Sep 2026
- India's effective basic customs duty (notification 45/2025-Customs, Table I)Checked 19 Oct 2026
- India's AIDC, Health Cess and Social Welfare Surcharge exemptions (11/2021, 08/2020, 11/2018-Customs)Checked 18 Oct 2026
- India's preferential tariff schedules (CBIC notifications)Checked 19 Oct 2026
- India's export duty (Second Schedule to the Customs Tariff Act and notifications 27/2011, 55/2022, 22/2024)Checked 18 Oct 2026
- India's All Industry Rates of duty drawback (notification 77/2023-Customs (N.T.))Checked 19 Oct 2026
- RoDTEP export incentive rates (DGFT Appendix 4R and 4RE)Checked 18 Oct 2026
- RoSCTL rebate for apparel and made-ups (Ministry of Textiles): periods and ratesChecked 19 Oct 2026
- CBIC Compliance Information Portal (CIP)Checked 19 Oct 2026
- China customs tariff (HS编码网)Checked 19 Oct 2026
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.