[VOLANTE]

Here is a well detailed write-up published in Gulf News last week about "How to drive your UAE-registered car in India for up to six months" !



https://gulfnews.com/special-reports....1643013121146

[anish5225]

Anyone knows how to get insurance cover (third party and comprehensive) while on carnet to India?

[wheeledwanderer]

A friend and I plan to drive Dubai-registered FJ cruisers to Leh Ladakh in August. The Dubai side formalities are clear and can be taken care of, but on the India side, there remain ambiguities.

1. Is Mumbai the best port to receive the car in India?
2. Any reference for a Mumbai agent who can easily clear the customs?
3. Custom formalities in Mumbai?

Picture for reference!

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by wheeledwanderer

A friend and I plan to drive Dubai-registered FJ cruisers to Leh Ladakh in August. The Dubai side formalities are clear and can be taken care of, but on the India side, there remain ambiguities.

1. Is Mumbai the best port to receive the car in India?
2. Any reference for a Mumbai agent who can easily clear the customs?
3. Custom formalities in Mumbai?

Picture for reference!

I am not the best person to answer but I don't know if foreign registered cars might encounter paperwork issues around the line of control.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by wheeledwanderer

A friend and I plan to drive Dubai-registered FJ cruisers to Leh Ladakh in August.
1. Is Mumbai the best port to receive the car in India?

Yes or Mundra, the shipping agent will book per vessel. Most new cars are coming via Mundra, though.

2. Any reference for a Mumbai agent who can easily clear the customs?

3. Custom formalities in Mumbai?

No personal experience; start from here.

https://www.atacarnet.in/how-get-carnet.html

They have contact numbers; ask them for recommended brokers. Ideally, your Dubai agent should be able to handle for India as well.

Picture for reference!

Suitable vehicle for the trip but rather than getting into all such formalities, how about buying a Jimny or Hilux? You won't lose much, though you won't get any attention if that's one reason.

Originally Posted by ajmat

I am not the best person to answer but I don't know if foreign registered cars might encounter paperwork issues around the line of control.

There is no LOC unless they want to cross to Pakistan and drive back to Dubai via Iran/ Iraq. Not sure about the conditions or the nearest port. It can be tricky to cross LOC if that's the intent. Otherwise, Carnet should work.

But frankly, I will go via Carnet if I have a lot of money and guys to handle such work.

[wheeledwanderer]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Yes or Mundra, the shipping agent will book per vessel. Most new cars are coming via Mundra, though.
...
...
But frankly, I will go via Carnet if I have a lot of money and guys to handle such work.

Thanks for the suggestions; much appreciated.

1. Shall check the website and enquire!

2. If I buy an SUV, I will have to shell out money for the car + modify it. No one in India for me who can drive this after I leave it there! So not worth the investment. Here I have an SUV built for Overlanding (this is my second car) and would like to use it for what it is meant for. It has everything from a tent, refrigerator, compressor, storage drawer, suitable shocks etc.

3. No plans to cross the border and go to Pakistan or Iran. Just India and back


4. It's not a lot of money compared to buying and modifying a new car in India. The security deposit and security cheque will be returned. A tourism certificate from Dubai RTA would cost the bare minimum of AED 100/- (INR 2200/-). So when I last checked, a 20' container costs less than USD 1500/- one way.

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

There is no LOC unless they want to cross to Pakistan and drive back to Dubai via Iran/ Iraq. Not sure about the conditions or the nearest port. It can be tricky to cross LOC if that's the intent. Otherwise, Carnet should work.

But frankly, I will go via Carnet if I have a lot of money and guys to handle such work.

Am talking about restricted areas around the Chinese Border towards Pangong etc.

[mjk24]

Originally Posted by wheeledwanderer

1. Is Mumbai the best port to receive the car in India?
2. Any reference for a Mumbai agent who can easily clear the customs?
3. Custom formalities in Mumbai?

Picture for reference!

Been researching on the same for a while and almost pulled the trigger in May '23.

1. Cochin would be the ideal port to send/receive the car.
Don't quote me on this but Kerala has the highest volume of cars on Carnet not just from the UAE but also from Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, KSA, Kuwait.
So naturally the shipping companies have more contacts/agents in Cochin port for a smoother experience. And with the way how things work in India, this is vital and can be the difference between a simple in/out release or your car being stuck in customs for days. They can ship to Mumbai too but don't recommend it. I'm sure there are companies with contacts in Mumbai port too, you'd just have to search for them.

2. I'd recommend you look for someone that ships door to door.
That way you wont have to worry about anything related to customs/ paperwork. The shipping company will handle all of that for you in both countries and you just need to turn up to the ports when dropping/picking the car.

3. There are multiple formalities and charges like line charges, de stuffing charges, Examination Labor charges, service & documentation charges, custom & port sundries. Again, ideally this should be handled by the shipping company in both ports.
However the key point here for you is Road Insurance.
After releasing the car from the port you need to visit the local RTO and get your car insured for the period it will be in India. After all of this, the $1.5k figure you have mentioned would almost be doubled for one way. But since you say you're gonna be shipping 2 cars, you can probably save a little by getting a 40' container instead of 2x20' containers.

Also look into marine insurance while your car is being shipped for added peace of mind. The shipping company may not require it but its always good to have it.

[sudeep.bansal]

How did this youtuber import an LHD Supra then?

https://youtu.be/oAdf52SnE7M?t=843

[kung_foo_fanta]

Originally Posted by wheeledwanderer

A friend and I plan to drive Dubai-registered FJ cruisers to Leh Ladakh in August.

Heya wheeledwanderer,
How did the trip go?
I am also planning on taking my vehicle to India in December and would really appreciate it if I could get some details from you regarding your customs clearing experience as well as difficulties related to driving a LHD vehicle in India.

Originally Posted by mjk24

Been researching on the same for a while and almost pulled the trigger in May '23.

Hello @mjk24,
Was it any particular reasons related to the shipping/customs or LHD vs RHD alignment in India that made you reconsider your Carnet adventure?

[mjk24]

Originally Posted by kung_foo_fanta

Hello @mjk24,
Was it any particular reasons related to the shipping/customs or LHD vs RHD alignment in India that made you reconsider your Carnet adventure?

Nope, just that the timing wasn't right. Definitely plan to do it sometime in the future though.

[kung_foo_fanta]

Originally Posted by mjk24

Nope, just that the timing wasn't right.

Glad to hear that it wasn't any of the other reasons I am currently worrying about. By any chance, have you heard from anyone who has gone through the whole experience if there have been issues with driving a LHD vehicle on Indian roads?
I am just wondering how feasible it would be to overtake on single carriageways, considering that we would need to veer quite a bit into potential oncoming traffic to actually assess if we have space to overtake

[mjk24]

Originally Posted by kung_foo_fanta

Glad to hear that it wasn't any of the other reasons I am currently worrying about. By any chance, have you heard from anyone who has gone through the whole experience if there have been issues with driving a LHD vehicle on Indian roads?
I am just wondering how feasible it would be to overtake on single carriageways, considering that we would need to veer quite a bit into potential oncoming traffic to actually assess if we have space to overtake

That's another reason to always travel with a trusted second car and follow them. They basically become your eyes in such scenario's. And even otherwise, your passenger can always help out.

FasTag may also be a inconvenience. You already pay all liable amounts/ insurance to the local RTO/relevant authorities as a lumpsum amount before releasing the car on Indian roads. So you don't have to pay any additional tolls through their gates as a car through CDP but it's difficult to explain this to the people at the gates and you're bound to lose a lot of time at every gate.

[kung_foo_fanta]

Originally Posted by mjk24

That's another reason to always travel with a trusted second car and follow them.
FasTag may also be a inconvenience...

So, not sure how feasible having another vehicle would be in our case... that's to be seen.

Regarding FasTag, it turns out we are able to get a FasTag based on the vehicle's VIN number, as long as we have a valid Aadhar card and PAN card. There's a post on Overland India group in Facebook, where an avid overlander has gotten FasTag for his US registered vehicle. Should be good enough to keep us moving quickly through those toll booths. The tolls could be considered as payment in lieu of those arguments 😂

[mjk24]

Originally Posted by kung_foo_fanta

So, not sure how feasible having another vehicle would be in our case... that's to be seen.

Regarding FasTag, it turns out we are able to get a FasTag based on the vehicle's VIN number, as long as we have a valid Aadhar card and PAN card. There's a post on Overland India group in Facebook, where an avid overlander has gotten FasTag for his US registered vehicle. Should be good enough to keep us moving quickly through those toll booths. The tolls could be considered as payment in lieu of those arguments 😂

What are you planning to ship in, what is your trip itinerary like?