For Indian shippers & overseas buyers
Freight quotes for India.
Compare the whole shipment.
A practical freight-quote checklist for India imports and exports. Put sea and air offers on the same basis, identify what is missing, and approve the scope before you book.
Before comparing numbers
One brief.
The same scope.
Every forwarder.
A port-to-port price cannot be compared fairly with a factory-to-door price. Nor can a rate based on estimated carton sizes be treated as final for palletised cargo.
Send the same cargo brief to each provider. State where the service starts and ends, which services you need, and who is requesting and paying for them. If the shipment details change, ask for the quote to be revised.
- Origin and destination: include the actual pickup and delivery location, not only the country.
- Packed cargo: count, dimensions, gross weight, stackability and special handling.
- Commercial basis: Incoterm, named place, cargo-ready date and delivery requirement.
- Transport basis: FCL equipment and quantity, LCL or air, with alternative modes quoted separately.
Read the whole cost picture
Four places costs can sit.
For each item, establish whether it is included, excluded or conditional—and who will receive the invoice.
At origin
Collection, loading or stuffing, inland movement, terminal or CFS handling, documentation and export-clearance coordination where included.
Where does the quoted service start?Main carriage
Ocean or air freight for the stated route, equipment and chargeable basis, plus the carrier surcharges expressly listed in the offer.
What is the freight actually calculated on?At destination
Arrival handling, release or delivery-order charges, terminal or CFS charges, import-clearance coordination and delivery only where included. Identify duties and taxes separately.
What must the consignee still arrange or pay?If something changes
Inspection, storage, waiting, amendment, reweighing, redelivery, demurrage or detention may depend on events. Ask for the applicable basis instead of assuming these are covered.
Which events can change the final bill?Your comparison worksheet
Ask the same questions.
Record both answers.
Use this as a review checklist or print it from your browser and complete the two quote columns. A blank or “to be confirmed” item is not a zero charge.
On a smaller screen, scroll the table sideways. The table can also be focused and scrolled with the keyboard.
| Comparison point | Ask both forwarders | Quote A | Quote B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Route & hand-off | Exact pickup and delivery points; nominated port, airport or facility; port-to-port or door scope. | Record answer | Record answer |
| Cargo & equipment | Identical package count, dimensions, gross weight, stackability, commodity and container type. | Record answer | Record answer |
| Chargeable basis | Per container, per shipment, per tonne, per CBM or per chargeable kilogram; minimums and rounding. | Record answer | Record answer |
| Origin charges | Itemised included and excluded origin services, with the party paying each charge. | Record answer | Record answer |
| Main freight | Rate and listed surcharges for the requested mode, routing and stated cargo basis. | Record answer | Record answer |
| Destination charges | Local handling and delivery scope; excluded charges and the nominated payer or collection party. | Record answer | Record answer |
| Currency & taxes | Currency for every line; exchange-rate basis and date; tax treatment; duties shown separately. | Record answer | Record answer |
| Validity & booking | Rate-expiry date, cargo-ready date, applicable departure window, and space/equipment conditions. | Record answer | Record answer |
| Routing & time | Direct or transshipment service, estimated transit definition, cut-offs and delivery assumptions. | Record answer | Record answer |
| Free time & overruns | Days, location, start event, calendar or working days, combined or separate terms, and subsequent charges. | Record answer | Record answer |
| Conditional costs | Inspection, storage, waiting, amendments and other event-based charges; approval and billing basis. | Record answer | Record answer |
| Documents & protection | Transport-document and release scope; insurance included or excluded; claims contact and applicable terms. | Record answer | Record answer |
Only then compare the totals.
Bring confirmed charges onto the same currency basis, keeping any exchange-rate assumption visible. Keep estimated and conditional costs separate. Compare the movement that meets your cargo and timing requirements—not only the smallest displayed amount.
What a useful enquiry looks like
A cargo brief with fewer assumptions.
This is an illustrative planning example, not a customer shipment, quotation or confirmed service. Replace every example detail with your actual cargo information.
- Movement
- Illustrative export from Indore, India to Dubai, UAE; exact delivery address to be confirmed.
- Cargo
- 40 cartons of non-hazardous cotton garments; no batteries, liquids or temperature-control requirement.
- Packed dimensions
- Each carton: 60 × 40 × 40 cm. Total volume: 3.84 CBM.
- Gross weight
- 12 kg per carton; 480 kg total. Reconfirm if pallets or additional packing are added.
- Handling
- Stackable cartons, subject to final packing suitability and carrier acceptance.
- Mode requested
- LCL sea freight. Ask for an air alternative separately if the delivery deadline requires it.
- Commercial term
- FCA, seller’s named factory in Indore, India, Incoterms® 2020; confirm the full named place in the sales contract.
- Quote scope
- Buyer requests onward movement to the named Dubai delivery address; identify import clearance, duties, taxes, unloading and any excluded services separately.
- Timing
- Insert the actual cargo-ready date and required delivery date. Do not substitute an estimated sailing for a delivery commitment.
Volume check: 40 × 0.60 × 0.40 × 0.40 = 3.84 m³. Additional pallets or packing change the dimensions, weight and potentially the freight basis. Prepare your own CBM calculation ↗
Freight quote FAQs
Clarity before commitment.
What details do I need for a freight quote from India?
Start with the origin and destination, commodity, package count, packed dimensions, gross weight, cargo-ready date, Incoterm and named place. Specify the service scope and any stackability, dangerous-goods, temperature or oversized-cargo requirements. For FCL, state the requested container type and quantity.
Why can two freight quotes for the same shipment be different?
They may include different pickup or delivery services, use different chargeable quantities, exclude destination costs, offer different routings or carry different validity and availability conditions. Compare the same shipment brief and record every inclusion, exclusion and payer before comparing totals.
How should I compare LCL and air freight charges?
Do not compare only a rate per CBM with a rate per kilogram. Request the total for your actual packed cargo under each mode, including its chargeable basis, minimum billing and the same origin and destination scope. Use the CBM calculator for preparation, then confirm the final chargeable quantity with the forwarder.
Does an all-in freight quote include customs duty and taxes?
Not automatically. Ask for the exact list of included services, excluded charges, tax treatment and the party paying each item. Customs duty and import taxes should be identified separately and assessed through the applicable customs process; a freight quote is not a duty determination.
What should overseas buyers ask an India freight forwarder?
Provide the Indian supplier’s pickup location, cargo specifications, agreed Incoterm and destination delivery requirement. Confirm who instructs the forwarder, who pays origin and destination charges, and who is responsible for customs and import formalities. India-side support and destination services should be agreed in writing before booking.
Does the cheapest quotation mean the lowest final cost?
Not necessarily. An offer with a lower freight line can exclude costs that another offer includes. First match scope and quantities, separate confirmed amounts from estimates and event-based charges, and assess whether the routing and schedule suit the cargo. No saving is assured until the options are confirmed.
Can I book immediately after receiving a quote?
Send written approval and final cargo details, but check rate validity, space, equipment and acceptance conditions first. A quotation is not a confirmed booking or a guaranteed departure. Review the booking confirmation and operational cut-offs before arranging cargo handover.
Ready for a real shipment review?
Tell us the cargo.
Let’s define the scope.
Send the route, packed cargo details and required service. Jaguar Logistics will review the enquiry and confirm what can be arranged for your shipment.
This checklist is general freight-planning information, not a binding quotation, customs assessment, insurance advice or legal advice. Requirements, charges and operational conditions depend on the shipment and the written terms agreed with the relevant providers.
