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How to Verify an Indian Exporter — A Due Diligence Checklist
Before you send funds or place an order, confirm your Indian supplier is genuine, registered, and capable. This guide sets out a practical due-diligence checklist for importers.
Protect Your Order with Proper Supplier Verification
International trade carries real risk — non-existent suppliers, misrepresented capacity, poor quality, and non-delivery. Most of that risk is avoidable with disciplined due diligence before any payment is made.
Verifying an Indian exporter means confirming three things: that the business is legally registered and licensed, that it is financially and operationally credible, and that it can actually produce and ship what it promises. This checklist walks through each.
Six Verification Checks to Run
Work through each of these before committing to an Indian supplier.
IEC & Business Registration
Confirm a valid Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) and company registration. The IEC is mandatory for any legal exporter in India — no IEC, no genuine export business.
GST & Tax Standing
Check the supplier’s GST registration. An active GST number confirms a registered, tax-compliant business operating legitimately in India.
Certifications & Licences
Verify product-relevant certifications — FSSAI, APEDA, ISO, organic — directly against the issuing bodies, not just from a copy supplied by the seller.
Bank & Financial References
Request a bank reference and, for larger orders, basic financial standing. Use secured payment terms such as a Letter of Credit until trust is established.
Trade History & References
Ask for references from existing international buyers and evidence of past shipments to your region or product category.
Capacity & Physical Verification
Confirm the supplier genuinely operates a facility — through a video walkthrough, a third-party factory audit, or an inspection-agency visit.
The Verification Process
A simple four-step routine before you place an order.
Collect Credentials
Request the IEC, GST number, company registration, and relevant certifications, plus the official company address and contact details.
Independently Verify
Cross-check registrations and certifications against the issuing authorities and registries — never rely solely on documents the seller provides.
Check Trade Reputation
Speak to trade references, review shipment evidence, and look for an established, consistent business presence.
Confirm Capacity & Secure Payment
Verify production capability through a factory audit or inspection, agree written specifications, and use a secured payment method.
Warning Signs to Watch For
If you see these, pause and verify further before paying.
No IEC or Vague Registration
A genuine exporter can readily provide an IEC and registration details. Reluctance or vague answers is a serious warning sign.
Full Advance Payment Demands
Pressure to pay 100% in advance to a new, unverified supplier — especially to a personal account — is a common fraud pattern.
Unverifiable Contact Details
Free email addresses only, no landline, no consistent company address, or refusal of a video call all warrant extra caution.
Prices Far Below Market
Quotes dramatically below the realistic market rate are often a lure. If a deal looks too good to be true, verify intensively before proceeding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an IEC and why does it matter?
How can I confirm an Indian supplier’s certifications are real?
What payment method protects me when dealing with a new supplier?
Should I inspect the supplier’s factory?
What are the biggest red flags when verifying an Indian exporter?
Verify Us as Your Trusted Indian Exporter
We welcome due diligence. Contact us for our IEC, GST, certifications, and trade references — verify before you commit.
Official Databases
5 Government Databases to Check Any Indian Exporter
DGFT IEC Directory
Every legitimate Indian exporter must have an Import Export Code (IEC) issued by DGFT. Search the IEC database at dgft.gov.in to verify the IEC number, registered business name, and address matches exactly what the supplier claims.
APEDA Exporter Registry
For agricultural product exporters, APEDA RCMC (Registration-cum-Membership Certificate) is mandatory. Verify RCMC at apeda.gov.in — it confirms the exporter is registered for agricultural exports and shows their registered product categories.
FSSAI Licence Verification
For food exporters, verify the FSSAI licence at foscos.fssai.gov.in. The licence should be current (not expired), cover the correct FBO category, and match the company name and manufacturing/processing address.
MCA Company Registry (MCA21)
If the exporter claims to be a Private Limited or Public Company, verify their CIN (Company Identification Number) on mca.gov.in. Check incorporation date, registered office, directors, and whether the company is active or struck off.
GST Taxpayer Search
Verify the GSTIN (GST number) on the GST portal at gst.gov.in. A valid GSTIN confirms the business is registered for Goods & Services Tax, is a legitimate tax-paying entity, and the registration status is "Active" — not cancelled or suspended.
Step-by-Step
Complete Exporter Verification Process
Verify Basic Legal Identity
Obtain the company's IEC, GSTIN, and CIN. Cross-check each on the respective government portal. The business name, address, and registration details must be consistent across all three. Discrepancies are a serious red flag.
Confirm Agricultural Export Registrations
Verify APEDA RCMC and FSSAI licence as described above. For organic products, request the organic certification and verify it with the certifying body. For products requiring specific export quotas or permissions, check DGFT for any restrictions.
Request Export Performance Evidence
Ask for ICEGATE shipping bills or APEDA export records from previous shipments. A genuine exporter will have documented export history on official portals. Ask for references from buyers in your target country — and follow up on them.
Review Lab Test & Certification History
Request previous NABL lab test reports for the products you intend to buy. Check that the testing lab is genuinely NABL-accredited (verify at nabl.gov.in). Look at historical test results — consistent compliance demonstrates systematic quality management.
Conduct Virtual or In-Person Factory Audit
For first-time orders above a significant value, conduct a factory audit — either virtual (video call walkthrough of premises) or in-person (visit or appoint third-party auditor like SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek). The audit confirms physical existence, processing capacity, and hygiene standards.
Request a Sample Order First
Always start with a sample order before committing to a full commercial shipment. Test the sample with your own NABL or accredited lab in your country. Evaluate quality, packaging, labelling, and document handling. Only scale to commercial volumes after sample approval.
Use Secure Payment Methods
For first orders, use Letter of Credit (LC) — it protects both buyer and seller by tying payment to document compliance. Avoid 100% advance wire transfer to unfamiliar suppliers. For established relationships, Sight LC or 30% advance + balance against documents is standard.
Verify Us — Shashi Manglam Export
We invite and encourage due diligence on our business. Our IEC, APEDA RCMC, FSSAI licence, GST registration, and export records are all available for verification. We provide sample shipments, factory video tours, and third-party audit access on request — because we have nothing to hide.
Warning Signs
Red Flags: Signs of a Fraudulent Exporter
No Verifiable IEC or APEDA RCMC
Any legitimate Indian agricultural exporter must have both IEC and APEDA RCMC. Inability to provide verifiable numbers is an immediate disqualifier.
Requests 100% Advance Wire Transfer
Demanding full payment upfront before any shipment evidence, with no willingness to accept LC or partial advance, is a classic fraud pattern. Legitimate exporters accept LC.
Prices Far Below Market Rate
If the price offered is significantly below prevailing market prices for the same quality specification, it signals either fraudulent intent or compromised quality — neither acceptable.
Refuses Factory Audit or Video Verification
A genuine exporter with physical processing and storage facilities will have no objection to a video call walkthrough or third-party audit. Refusal suggests either no facility exists or significant quality issues.
Documents Don't Match Across Suppliers
Lab test reports showing different batch numbers, addresses, or dates than the commercial invoice or phytosanitary certificate suggest documents have been reused, forged, or belong to a different shipment.
No References from Previous Buyers
Any exporter with genuine international trade history will have buyer references they can provide. Inability or unwillingness to give references you can actually contact is a major warning sign.
FAQ
Verification Questions Answered
Verify Us — We Have Nothing to Hide
Request our IEC, APEDA RCMC, FSSAI licence, lab test reports, and buyer references. We'll answer every due diligence question and arrange a factory inspection if needed.