India to EU — Zero-Defect Export Execution

Exporter: _____________________________________________

EU Buyer: _____________________________________________

Product / HS Code: _____________________________________________

Shipment Reference: _____________________________________________

Target Vessel / Date: _____________________________________________

Incoterms: _____________________________________________

Payment Terms: _____________________________________________

The first shipment is the most critical in any new India-EU commercial relationship. It sets the standard for the entire ongoing supply relationship — any error in compliance, documentation, quality, or logistics on the first shipment creates doubt in the EU buyer's mind that is very difficult to recover from. Use this checklist to achieve zero-defect execution on the first shipment.

BLOCK 1 — EIGHT WEEKS BEFORE LOADING

BLOCK 2 — FOUR WEEKS BEFORE LOADING

BLOCK 3 — TWO WEEKS BEFORE LOADING

BLOCK 4 — LOADING WEEK

BLOCK 5 — AFTER LOADING / DOCUMENT PREPARATION

BLOCK 6 — POST-SHIPMENT AND FIRST PAYMENT

FIRST SHIPMENT SUMMARY

Doc 77 — First Shipment Checklist: India to EU Zero-Defect Export Execution — Neutral Template

Item	Done	Notes
Supply agreement / purchase order signed and on file — all commercial terms finalised.	[ ]
LC received from EU buyer's bank (if LC payment) — LC review checklist (Doc 41) completed. All amendments requested and received.	[ ]
Product specification finalised — technical data sheet, composition, and labelling specification agreed with buyer.	[ ]
EU compliance confirmed — CE marking, food safety, REACH, labelling, and all applicable regulatory requirements verified for this product and destination.	[ ]
Freight forwarder appointed and briefed — routing, vessel options, cut-off dates, and reefer requirements (if applicable) discussed.	[ ]
Inspection agency booked (if pre-shipment inspection required by buyer or LC).	[ ]
Laboratory testing initiated — multi-residue pesticide test, MRL, aflatoxin, or product-specific tests placed with accredited lab. Allow for lab turnaround time.	[ ]
Phytosanitary / health certificate inspection scheduled with Plant Quarantine Station or AQCS.	[ ]
Production plan confirmed — raw material procurement and production schedule aligned with shipping date.	[ ]
Export pricing verified — all costs (production, freight, insurance, testing, certification) included. No cost surprise for buyer or seller.	[ ]

Item	Done	Notes
Production on track — intermediate quality check completed. Any deviations from specification addressed.	[ ]
Freight booking confirmed — vessel name, voyage number, cut-off dates received from freight forwarder.	[ ]
Container type and quantity confirmed — FCL/LCL/reefer specifications aligned with cargo volume and buyer requirements.	[ ]
ECGC Buyer Exposure Limit (BEL) confirmed (if open account) — shipment value within approved limit.	[ ]
Cargo insurance arranged — ICC(A) cover confirmed, insured value at minimum 110% of CIF value.	[ ]
All registration documents verified as current: IEC, AD Code at export port, GSTIN, LUT for current financial year.	[ ]
REX Statement of Origin text confirmed on invoice template — REX number correct.	[ ]
Packing specification finalised — carton dimensions, gross/net weight, ISPM-15 pallets, marks and numbers agreed.	[ ]
EU labelling proofread — destination language, fibre composition (textiles), allergens (food), net quantity, EU food business operator details all confirmed.	[ ]
EU buyer briefed on shipment timeline — expected loading date, ETA, and document dispatch method confirmed.	[ ]

Item	Done	Notes
Production completed — final quality inspection passed. Defect rate within AQL acceptance limits.	[ ]
Pre-shipment inspection completed — PSI certificate received. Any NCRs resolved and re-inspection passed.	[ ]
Test reports received from laboratory — all parameters within EU limits. Any borderline results reviewed with specialist.	[ ]
Phytosanitary certificate obtained — validity period sufficient to cover shipment date and transit time.	[ ]
Health / veterinary certificate obtained (if applicable) — FSSAI / AQCS certificate current.	[ ]
Certificate of Origin / REX statement prepared — double-checked against invoice and packing list.	[ ]
Commercial invoice prepared — reviewed term by term against LC (if LC transaction). Description mirrors LC field 45A exactly.	[ ]
Packing list prepared — weight, dimensions, marks, and number of packages match invoice and production records.	[ ]
VGM declaration: Weighed cargo and container. VGM filing deadline from freight forwarder noted and met.	[ ]
TRACES NT pre-notification filed (for regulated plant or animal products) — notification reference number obtained.	[ ]
Dangerous Goods Declaration / MSDS submitted to freight forwarder (if applicable).	[ ]

Item	Done	Notes
Container inspected before stuffing — reefer set-point verified; data logger zeroed and running (cold chain).	[ ]
Cargo stuffed at correct temperature — pre-cooling certificate available (cold chain).	[ ]
Container sealed — seal number recorded and matched to booking.	[ ]
Shipping Bill filed on ICEGATE — HSN code, FOB value, AD Code, LUT reference, RoDTEP flag, and REX reference all verified.	[ ]
Customs examination (if RMS-ordered) — goods presented for examination. Examination cleared without query.	[ ]
Let Export Order (LEO) granted by customs — confirmed before cargo moves to port.	[ ]
Dock receipt / Equipment Interchange Receipt (EIR) obtained from shipping line — container handed over.	[ ]
Reefer plug-in at port confirmed — shipping line notified of reefer settings (if cold chain).	[ ]
On-board date confirmed with freight forwarder — on-board date is on or before LC's latest shipment date.	[ ]
VGM confirmed as accepted by shipping line.	[ ]

Item	Done	Notes
Bill of Lading obtained from shipping line — every field verified against LC using Doc 41 discrepancy checklist.	[ ]
B/L on-board date confirmed — presentation period countdown started (21 calendar days from on-board date or LC period).	[ ]
Full document set assembled: Invoice, Packing List, B/L (3/3 originals), Certificate of Origin/REX, Test Reports, Phytosanitary/Health Certificate, PSI Certificate, Insurance Certificate.	[ ]
Cross-document consistency check: Beneficiary name, consignee, goods description, quantity, weight, invoice reference — identical across all documents.	[ ]
LC discrepancy prevention checklist (Doc 41) completed — zero discrepancies confirmed before submission to bank.	[ ]
Documents submitted to bank within presentation period (if LC) — covering letter listing all documents enclosed.	[ ]
Documents couriered to EU buyer (if non-LC) — tracking number provided to buyer.	[ ]
Shipment advice sent to EU buyer: vessel, B/L number, ETA, container number, document dispatch details.	[ ]
Freight forwarder confirms EGM filed after vessel departure — EGM confirmation retained.	[ ]
EU buyer's customs agent briefed — all documents, TRACES notification reference, and any special instructions shared.	[ ]

Item	Done	Notes
EU customs clearance: Confirmed no border inspection hold. Goods released for free circulation.	[ ]
Delivery confirmed: Goods delivered to EU buyer's warehouse / premises. Delivery note signed.	[ ]
EU buyer quality inspection: No quality rejection or non-conformity raised. Buyer confirmation of acceptance received.	[ ]
Payment: Export proceeds received in AD bank account within agreed payment terms (and within FEMA 9-month deadline).	[ ]
FIRC obtained from AD bank — references the export invoice and Shipping Bill.	[ ]
eBRC uploaded by AD bank to DGFT portal — linked to correct Shipping Bill.	[ ]
GST refund (IGST) filed on GSTN after EGM confirmation.	[ ]
RoDTEP e-Scrip verified on ICEGATE — credited to Electronic Credit Ledger.	[ ]
Duty drawback claim filed (if applicable).	[ ]
Commission invoice issued to Principal — commission trigger event documented.	[ ]
Commission payment received and reconciled.	[ ]
First shipment review meeting: Internal debrief on what worked, what to improve, and lessons applied to all subsequent shipments.	[ ]
EU buyer debrief: Formal feedback call with EU buyer — any quality, documentation, or logistics improvements requested noted and actioned.	[ ]
Annual Supply Framework Agreement initiated (Doc 18) — repeat order schedule confirmed.	[ ]

On-board date:
B/L number:
Invoice value:
Payment received date:
FIRC reference:
Commission invoice date:
Commission received date:
EU buyer reorder confirmation:	Yes / No / Pending
Key lessons for next shipment:

FIRST SHIPMENT CHECKLIST

FIRST SHIPMENT SUMMARY

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