Official distribution and brand protection for European beauty brands · Request a free brand check

Distribution · Europe to India

Made in Europe. Loved in India.

India is one of the fastest-growing beauty markets in the world, and European skincare has a real following there. Together with our partner in India we handle registration, import, stock and sales, online and offline, so you can enter without setting up an Indian company.

India route

EU → IN

Registration

CDSCO import registration

Import

Customs clearance in India

Stock

Partner warehouse in India

Online

Nykaa · Amazon.in · Flipkart

Offline

Retail · salons · clinics

One contract with KOD, a team on the ground in India

Your India route

Four steps to India.

KOD leads the project and stays your single point of contact. Our partner in India acts as importer and runs the operation on the ground.

Market check

Demand, price points and competitors, and whether anyone already sells your brand in India.

Registration

CDSCO import registration, Indian labels and a trademark filing in India.

Import and stock

Freight from Europe, customs clearance and storage at our partner in India.

Launch and scale

Nykaa, Amazon.in, Flipkart and quick commerce, plus retail, salons and clinics.

$40bn

expected size of India’s beauty and personal care market by 2030

4th

largest beauty and personal care market in the world by 2030

22%

import tariff on EU cosmetics today, mostly removed under the EU–India trade agreement once it is in force

1

contract with KOD for registration, import, sales and protection

Sources: Redseer Strategy, India beauty and personal care outlook 2030; EU–India trade agreement, concluded January 2026.

Where your brand sells

Online, in stores and in clinics.

Indian shoppers discover beauty online and buy it everywhere. We plan the channel mix with you, so your brand is visible in the right places at a price that holds.

  • No Indian company, bank account or warehouse contract on your side
  • Stock held and shipped inside India
  • One official offer per channel, with brand monitoring
  • Monthly reporting on sell-out, stock and prices

Beauty marketplaces

Nykaa, Tira and Purplle, where Indian shoppers go for skincare and make-up.

General marketplaces

Amazon.in, Flipkart and Myntra, for reach across the whole country.

Quick commerce

Delivery apps such as Blinkit, Zepto and Swiggy Instamart, where beauty is a fast-growing category.

Retail

Beauty stores and pharmacies, through our partner’s retail network.

Salons and clinics

Professional and dermatology channels for brands with an expert story.

Regulation

What India asks of a European brand.

Imported cosmetics in India fall under the Cosmetics Rules, 2020, supervised by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). An EU-compliant product usually needs an import registration and an Indian label before it can be sold. We go through it with you, product by product.

This is general information, not regulatory advice. Requirements depend on the product and its claims.

Import registration

Every imported cosmetic needs a CDSCO import registration certificate. Our partner applies as your authorised agent in India, based on your authorisation as the manufacturer.

Indian label

The pack shows the registration number, the importer’s name and address, the maximum retail price (MRP) and consumer care details.

No animal testing

Cosmetics tested on animals after November 2014 may not be imported into India.

Ingredients and claims

Indian standards restrict some ingredients and colours, and products with drug-like claims follow a different route.

Import duty

Today’s duties apply until the EU–India trade agreement enters into force. After that, most tariffs on EU cosmetics are phased out over five to seven years.

How we work together

One contract. A team on the ground.

Your partner

KOD

You agree terms with KOD. We lead the India project and manage our partner for you, with the same standards we use in Europe and the US.

  • Market entry plan and channel strategy
  • Pricing and MRP set together with you
  • Listings and content for every channel
  • Brand monitoring and monthly reporting

On the ground

Our partner in India

An established team in India that already places European brands in the market. They carry the local operation under KOD’s lead.

  • Import registration and customs clearance
  • Warehousing and delivery across India
  • Marketplace and quick commerce operations
  • Sales team for retail, salons and clinics

Questions

Before you go to India.

Do we need an Indian company?

No. Our partner in India acts as importer and holds the import registration for your products as your authorised agent. You work with KOD.

Who holds the CDSCO registration?

The registration certificate is issued to the Indian importer or authorised agent, based on your authorisation as the manufacturer. We agree up front, in writing, what happens to it if the partnership ever ends.

How long until the first sale?

Registration and labels usually take the longest. After the market check we give you a realistic timeline, product by product.

Does the EU–India trade agreement lower our costs?

Negotiations were concluded in January 2026. Once the agreement is signed and ratified, most of the current tariff on EU cosmetics is removed over five to seven years. Until then we plan your prices with today’s duties.

How do you keep our prices consistent?

Every pack sold in India carries a maximum retail price (MRP). It sets the ceiling, not the floor, so we also watch the marketplaces for other sellers of your brand and act on infringing offers.

Can we keep our EU packaging?

Often yes, with an Indian label added for the registration number, importer details and MRP. Some products need changes when an ingredient or claim is not allowed in India.

Start with a conversation

Your brand deserves one trusted seller.

Tell us where your brand is sold today. In one 30-minute call we show you what we see on the marketplaces and how we would protect and grow your brand.