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Send Gifts from India Abroad

Buying a gift in India and getting it to someone abroad, without asking a traveller to carry it.

What is the cheapest way to send Diwali gifts from Kerala to family in Canada? Put everything in one box. Have the gifts delivered to your India Rabbit address, hand them in at our warehouse in Kerala, or ask us to collect them from anywhere in Kerala, and we combine them into a single shipment addressed straight to her in Canada, which costs far less than several separate parcels. Clothing, books, handicrafts and sealed vegetarian sweets and snacks travel well; meat and fresh food do not. Canada charges duty and tax on most parcels above a low value, with a higher allowance for genuine gifts, so declare it as a gift at its real value. Send it three to four weeks before Diwali, because festival season is when Indian courier networks are most congested. Forwarding one box to Canada runs about ₹4,000–5,500 for 1 kg and ₹10,000–12,500 for 5 kg by direct courier, or ₹2,000–3,000 and ₹6,000–8,000 where we run an Economy lane. Ranges worked out 2026-10-31, not quotes. Economy is delivered duty paid; on Premium, duty at your end is separate.

Get my free Indian address How it works

Buy in India, deliver abroad

Order from any Indian shop to your India Rabbit address and we forward it — to you, or straight to whoever it is for. The shipping address on the international leg does not have to be your own, so a gift can go directly to a parent in London or a cousin in Sharjah.

What travels well

Clothing and textiles, books, handicrafts, brass and wood, artificial jewellery, dry sweets and packaged snacks where the destination allows food, and toys. What does not travel is anything perishable, anything liquid in a glass bottle, fresh flowers and fresh food. Gold cannot leave India by courier at all.

Festivals need a head start

Onam, Vishu, Diwali, Eid and Christmas are exactly when Indian courier networks are busiest and international capacity is tightest. Order at least three to four weeks ahead of the date.

Declaring a gift

Most countries have a slightly higher allowance for genuine gifts between individuals than for commercial imports. Tell us it is a gift and we will mark it as one.

Several gifts, one shipment

If you are sending to one household, combine everything into one box — it is far cheaper than separate parcels. If it is going to several countries, each needs its own shipment.

Gifts from different shops travel together: a saree from a boutique, books from Amazon.in, snacks from Haldiram’s, jhumkas from Meesho. Each shop delivers to your Indian address and we pack them into one box.

Questions

Can you ship directly to the person I am gifting?

Yes. The delivery address for the international leg is whatever you enter when you request shipping; it does not have to match your own.

Does marking a parcel as a gift avoid customs duty?

No. Many countries allow a slightly higher threshold for genuine gifts between individuals, but duty still applies above it.

Can I send Indian sweets and snacks?

Packaged, sealed, shelf-stable food is often fine, but food rules vary sharply by country and some ban it outright. Check your destination before ordering, and never send anything perishable.

How far ahead should I order for a festival?

Three to four weeks before the date. Indian courier networks and international air capacity are both at their most congested in festival season.

Can I include a note or card?

Yes — tell us when you request shipping and we will include it in the box.

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What people order after reading this

Pooja Items

Nilavilakku, idols, bells and the things a household needs that no shop near you stocks properly.

Indian Jewellery

Kundan, polki, temple work and everyday imitation sets — bought where they are actually made.

Bandhani

Almost everything sold abroad as bandhani is a screen print, and the difference is visible from the back of the cloth.

Where this is going

Transit times, what customs will want to see and what your country will not let in.

Every destination we serve · What cannot be shipped · Work out the cost

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