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Buying Indian tea from India when you live abroad

The tea at home tastes different because it is a different tea. Order the brand or the estate you want to your Kerala address and we send it on.

Yes — you can buy Indian tea from Indian shops even if they do not deliver to your country. India Rabbit gives you a free delivery address in India. You order to that address as an ordinary domestic customer, we receive and hold the parcel free for 30 days, combine it with anything else you buy, and forward the lot to you.

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Why this is hard to buy where you are

Tea sold abroad as Indian tea is usually a blend packed for that market. In India you can buy by region and by grade: Darjeeling, which in 2004 became the first Indian product with a geographical indication, Assam, Nilgiri, and Munnar tea from Kerala's high ranges. The everyday brands people drink at home, and the masala chai blends, are often not sold abroad at all.

Where to buy it

Shop	What they are good for
Amazon.in and Flipkart	The everyday brands people drink at home, such as Tata Tea, Brooke Bond and Kannan Devan, in the pack sizes sold in India.
Darjeeling and Assam estate shops online	Single-estate teas by flush and grade. If they cannot deliver to your country, your Indian address makes it a domestic order.
Munnar tea shops	Kerala high-range tea, including Kannan Devan, sold in Munnar and online.

Estate shops and Indian brand stores sell to buyers in India. A Kerala address makes your order local.

What to check before you order

Look for the region on the pack: Darjeeling, Assam, Nilgiri or Munnar.
Darjeeling is sold by flush: first flush is light, second flush is fuller.
Loose leaf keeps longer than tea bags and packs smaller per cup.
Buy sealed packs. They travel better and are simpler at customs.

Weight, customs and getting it here intact

Weight

Light. A kilo of tea is a small parcel.

Volume

Loose leaf in large tins can be bulky; pouches and cartons ship closer to their real weight.

Customs

Declared as packaged tea. Commercially packed tea is accepted in most countries in personal quantities. Australia and New Zealand inspect plant products in mail, so declare it. Check what your destination allows.

Condition

We keep tea sealed and pack it away from spices and pickles so it does not take on their smell.

Work out the exact cost to your country

Indian Tea by country

Indian Tea to the UK

The UK drinks a lot of tea blended from Indian leaf, but the brands people drink in India, such as Tata Tea, Brooke Bond's Indian blends and Kannan Devan, and single-estate Darjeeling and Munnar teas are another matter. Sealed, packaged tea travels to the UK without restriction in personal quantities. For goods up to £135, UK VAT at 20% is normally charged by the seller at checkout; above £135, the courier collects VAT and any duty before delivery. Since 15 July 2026 the UK–India trade agreement has cut or removed duty on many goods made in India where the origin rules are met. VAT still applies.

Transit: typically 4 to 10 business days once the box leaves our warehouse in Kerala. Shipping to the UK · What the UK will not let in

Can I send Indian tea to the UK?

Yes. Sealed, packaged tea is fine. Order it to your free India Rabbit address in Kerala and it goes to the UK in your box, typically 4 to 10 business days after dispatch.

Will I pay VAT on tea to the UK?

Usually. Above £135 the courier collects 20% VAT and any duty before delivery.

Can I add spices and pickles to the same box?

Yes. Sealed spices and vegetarian pickles travel to the UK too. We pack tea away from them so it does not pick up their smell.

Where we send it

Pick your country for transit times and customs notes.

Questions

Can I send Indian tea abroad?

Yes. Sealed, packaged tea is one of the easiest things to send. Order it to your India Rabbit address and it goes in your box.

What is the difference between Darjeeling and Assam tea?

Darjeeling grows in the Himalayan foothills and is light and floral; Assam grows in the plains of the Brahmaputra valley and is strong and malty. Darjeeling was the first Indian product with a geographical indication.

Can I send masala chai?

Yes, as a packaged blend of tea and dry spices. Sealed and labelled is best.

Can I combine tea with other shopping?

Yes. Order it to your India Rabbit address and it ships in one box with everything else.

Order it like you live in Kerala

Your free Indian address takes a minute to set up and works on your very next order. We hold parcels free for 30 days so you can combine them into one box.

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