Inorganic chemicals; organic and inorganic compounds of precious metals; of rare earth metals, of radio-active elements and of isotopes
Chapter 28 of the Harmonised System covers Inorganic chemicals; organic and inorganic compounds of precious metals; of rare earth metals, of radio-active elements and of isotopes — 50 four-digit headings spanning fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine to carbides, whether or not chemically defined that customs authorities worldwide use to classify these goods and set duty.
- India exports 2024
- $3.56B
Source: UN Comtrade — India's reported merchandise exports to the world, 2024.
Sourcing this category from India
Chapter 28 covers inorganic chemicals and compounds of precious metals, rare earths, radioactive elements and isotopes. India's large chemical industry exports inorganic acids, salts, oxides and industrial gases worldwide. Subheadings are organised by chemical family, and accurate classification here is essential because closely related compounds can attract very different duty and regulatory controls.
How to read this code
28 is the two-digit HS chapter for inorganic chemicals. To clear customs your destination country extends it to a full 8–10 digit code and assigns the duty rate. India's preferential trade agreements (UAE CEPA, Australia ECTA, and others) can reduce or zero out that duty on many chemicals & allied industries lines — check our import guides for your market.
Headings under HS 28
The Harmonised System breaks Inorganic chemicals; organic and inorganic compounds of precious metals; of rare earth metals, of radio-active elements and of isotopes into these 50 headings. Drill down to the exact classification for your goods.
Fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine
Sulphur; sublimed or precipitated, colloidal sulphur
Carbon; carbon blacks and other forms of carbon n.e.c.
Hydrogen, rare gases and other non-metals
Alkali or alkaline-earth metals; rare-earth metals, scandium and yttrium, whether or not intermixed or interalloyed; mercury
Hydrogen chloride (hydrochloric acid); chlorosulphuric acid
Sulphuric acid; oleum
Nitric acid; sulphonitric acids
Diphosphorus pentaoxide; phosphoric acid; polyphosphoric acids, whether or not chemically defined
Oxides of boron; boric acids
Inorganic acids and other inorganic oxygen compounds of non-metals; n.e.c. in heading no. 2806 to 2810
Halides and halide oxides of non-metals
Sulphides of non-metals; commercial phosphorus trisulphide
Ammonia; anhydrous or in aqueous solution
Sodium hydroxide (caustic soda); potassium hydroxide (caustic potash) peroxides of sodium or potassium
Hydroxide and peroxide of magnesium; oxides, hydroxides and peroxides of strontium or barium
Zinc; oxide and peroxide
Aluminium oxide (including artificial corundum); aluminium hydroxide
Chromium oxides and hydroxides
Manganese oxides
Iron oxides and hydroxides; earth colours containing 70% or more by weight of combined iron evaluated as Fe2o3
Cobalt oxides and hydroxides; commercial cobalt oxides
Titanium oxides
Lead oxides; red lead and orange lead
Hydrazine and hydroxylamine and their inorganic salts; other inorganic bases; other metal oxides, hydroxides and peroxides
Fluorides; fluorosilicates, fluoroaluminates and other complex fluorine salts
Chlorides; chloride oxides and chloride hydroxides; bromides and bromide oxides; iodides and iodide oxides
Hypochlorites; commercial calcium hypochlorite; chlorites; hypobromites
Chlorates and perchlorates; bromates and perbromates; iodates and periodates
Sulphides; polysulphides whether or not chemically defined
Dithionites and sulphoxylates
Sulphites; thiosulphates
Sulphates; alums; peroxosulphates (persulphates)
Nitrites; nitrates
Phosphinates (hypophosphites), phosphonates (phosphites), and phosphates; and polyphosphates, whether or not chemically defined
Carbonates; peroxocarbonates (percarbonates); commercial ammonium carbonate containing ammonium carbamate
Cyanides, cyanide oxides and complex cyanides
Silicates; commercial alkali metal silicates
Borates; peroxoborates (perborates)
Salts of oxometallic or peroxometallic acids
Salts of inorganic acids or peroxoacids, n.e.c. including aluminosilicates whether or not chemically defined, but excluding azides
Colloidal precious metals; inorganic or organic compounds of precious metals, whether or not chemically defined; amalgams of precious metals
Radioactive chemical elements and radioactive isotopes (including the fissile or fertile chemical elements and isotopes); and their compounds; mixtures and residues containing these products
Isotopes other than those of heading no. 2844; compounds, inorganic or organic, of such isotopes, whether or not chemically defined
Compounds, inorganic or organic, of rare-earth metals; of yttrium or of scandium or of mixtures of these metals
Hydrogen peroxide; whether or not solidified with urea
Carbides, whether or not chemically defined
Hydrides, nitrides, azides, silicides and borides, whether or not chemically defined, other than compounds which are also carbides of heading no. 2849
Inorganic or organic compounds of mercury, excluding amalgams, whether or not chemically defined
Phosphides, chemically defined or not, not ferrophosphorus; other inorganic compounds n.e.c. (including distilled, conductivity water and water of like purity); liquid air, rare gases removed or not; compressed air; amalgams, not precious metal amalgams
Top destinations for Chapter 28 exports
India's largest buyers of goods in this HS chapter in 2024, ranked by export value.
Chapter-level destination mix — your specific HS line may skew differently. Source: UN Comtrade, 2024.
Working out import duty for HS 28 into your market? See full duty context and India-vs-rivals comparisons in our India comparison guides and export resource hub.
Indian exporters in this category
Established export houses with relevant HS focus. Listings are compiled from public records — run your own due diligence.
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