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Engineering goods

Export hand tools

Hammers, wrenches, pliers and garden tools from Jalandhar and Ludhiana; the USA buys most.

Free to exportHS 8205
HS code
8205
Hand tools not elsewhere specified — hammers, screwdrivers, vices, clamps, household tools. Spanners and wrenches are 8204, pliers 8203, and saws 8202.
Export policy
Free to export
Free to export under ITC(HS) Schedule 2.
Registrations
3
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 161 mn
to 139 countries

What is exported

Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Nagaur are known for forged hand tools, wrenches, pliers, garden and agricultural tools. Buyers are hardware importers, retail chains and private-label tool brands. In 2025-26 India exported about US$ 161 million under HS 8205; the USA took the largest share, followed by Germany, the UK, the UAE and France.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Spanners and wrenchesForged and chrome-plated spanners, a Jalandhar and Ludhiana speciality (HS 8204).
  • Pliers, pincers and cuttersFor electricians, mechanics and DIY users (HS 8203).
  • Hammers, screwdrivers, chisels and vicesThe HS 8205 range used in workshops and construction.
  • Agricultural and garden toolsSpades, shovels, hoes and sickles for Africa and the Gulf (HS 8201).
  • Scissors and cutting toolsIncluding Meerut scissors (HS 8213).

Where it is grown or made

  • PunjabJalandhar and Ludhiana — the main hand-tool clusters
  • Uttar PradeshMeerut — scissors and cutting tools
  • MaharashtraNagpur, Pune and Mumbai — larger tool makers
  • GujaratRajkot — engineering and tool workshops

Export packing

  • Tools are oiled or coated against rust and packed in polybags, blister cards or boxes, then in 5-ply cartons.
  • Retail tools need the buyer's brand, barcode and country-of-origin marking ("Made in India") on the tool or pack.
  • Heavy cartons go on ISPM-15 pallets; garden tools with wooden handles may need a fumigation certificate.

Who buys abroad

  • Tool brands buying private label
  • DIY and hardware chains
  • Industrial distributors
  • Government and aid-agency tenders (farm tools)

The quality buyers ask for

Dimensions
Wrench openings and dimensions to ISO 691 / ISO 3318 or ASME B107 series; plier and screwdriver dimensions to the matching ISO standards
Material and hardness
Chrome-vanadium or carbon steel grade; hardness in HRC at working faces
Torque and load tests
Proof torque for spanners and sockets; cutting and gripping tests for pliers
Insulated tools
IEC 60900 / EN 60900 for work up to 1,000 V AC, with dielectric testing
Finish
Chrome plating, black oxide or powder coating with salt-spray hours set by the buyer
Handles
PAH limits in plastic and rubber grips (EU REACH; German GS mark testing)

Certificates

  • ISO 9001Often askedAsked for by most distributors and retail chains.
  • GS mark (Germany)Often askedVoluntary safety mark from a German test body; many German retailers want it.
  • Test report to the product standardRequiredDimension, hardness and torque report to ISO/DIN or ASME; buyers require it before listing.
  • VDE / IEC 60900 certificationOften askedRequired by buyers of insulated electricians' tools.
  • Social compliance auditOften askedAsked for by big-box retailers.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Dense goods: cartons on ISPM-15 pallets; a 20-ft container often reaches its weight limit first. Retail-packed sets fill by volume.

How it travels

Sea freight, often via ICDs in Punjab to Mundra or Nhava Sheva.

Storage

Oil or VCI-protect unplated steel; keep dry to stop rust in transit.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Size and standard marked on the tool (e.g. opening size), brand and 'India' or 'Made in India'.
  • US: country of origin permanently marked on the tool where practical.
  • Insulated tools: double-triangle symbol, 1000 V, year of manufacture and standard number.
  • Retail packs: barcode, product description in the selling language.
Where to get it tested

The Central Institute of Hand Tools (an MSME technology centre in Jalandhar) tests and trains hand-tool makers. For hardness, torque and plating tests, search the NABL directory under 'mechanical' testing. For GS or VDE marks, the German test body will test samples, often through an Indian office.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • EEPC IndiaHand and machine tools are listed under EEPC in Appendix 2T; take the RCMC there.eepcindia.org ↗

Quality and checks

  • Performance and hardness standards the buyer names (for example ISO, DIN or ANSI/ASME tool standards).
  • EU: consumer tools must meet the General Product Safety Regulation; insulated tools for electrical work need their own standard and marking.
  • Country-of-origin marking on the tool itself, which US Customs requires for most imported articles.
How to start small

Pick a narrow range (for example forged hammers or garden tools) from a Jalandhar or Ludhiana maker, get hardness and finish tests done, and prepare private-label packaging options. Join EEPC and approach hardware distributors in the Gulf, Africa and Australia before large US retail programmes.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Missing "Made in India" marking on the tool — US Customs can hold or penalise the shipment.
  • Hardness failures (tools that bend or chip) found by the buyer's lab.
  • Rust in sea transit; oil and pack tools properly.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (5)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 8205 by country, 2025-26
  2. DGFT — Appendix 2T: Export Promotion Councils and the products under each
  3. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  4. EUR-Lex — General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988, summary
  5. EEPC India — official site

Trade data

Indian hand tools exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 161 mn
+5.4% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↓ -7%
US$ 173 mn → US$ 161 mn
Buyer countries
139
Average export price
US$ 3.02
per kg · 53,113 tonnes shipped · US$ 3.03 the year before
United States of America: US$ 73.2 mnGermany: US$ 8.6 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 7.5 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 6.6 mnFrance: US$ 5.5 mnAustralia: US$ 5.2 mnNetherlands: US$ 3.5 mnCanada: US$ 3.3 mnItaly: US$ 3.2 mnRussia: US$ 2.9 mnSweden: US$ 2.6 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 2.5 mnSpain: US$ 2.2 mnMexico: US$ 2 mnNepal: US$ 1.8 mnJapan: US$ 1.8 mnPoland: US$ 1.8 mnBelgium: US$ 1.6 mnKenya: US$ 1.5 mnBrazil: US$ 1.3 mnSouth Africa: US$ 1.1 mnNigeria: US$ 990kMalaysia: US$ 970kChina: US$ 870kUnited States of America: US$ 73.2 mnUnited States of AmericaGermany: US$ 8.6 mnGermanyUnited Kingdom: US$ 7.5 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 6.6 mnUnited Arab EmiratesFrance: US$ 5.5 mnAustralia: US$ 5.2 mnAustraliaNetherlands: US$ 3.5 mnCanada: US$ 3.3 mnItaly: US$ 3.2 mnItalyRussia: US$ 2.9 mnSweden: US$ 2.6 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 2.5 mnSpain: US$ 2.2 mnMexico: US$ 2 mnMexicoNepal: US$ 1.8 mnJapan: US$ 1.8 mnPoland: US$ 1.8 mnBelgium: US$ 1.6 mnKenya: US$ 1.5 mnBrazil: US$ 1.3 mnSouth Africa: US$ 1.1 mnNigeria: US$ 990kMalaysia: US$ 970kChina: US$ 870kIndia
Where Indian hand tools goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 124 mn1242020-212021-22: US$ 180 mn1802021-222022-23: US$ 156 mn1562022-232023-24: US$ 151 mn1512023-242024-25: US$ 173 mn1732024-252025-26: US$ 161 mn1612025-26
India’s hand tools exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2021-22, lowest in 2020-21 — a 37% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 2.79 per kg2.792021-22: US$ 3.81 per kg3.812022-23: US$ 2.87 per kg2024-25: US$ 3.03 per kg2025-26: US$ 3.02 per kg3.022020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian hand tools · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 124 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 180 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 156 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 151 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 173 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 161 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 175 mn (US$ 147 mn – US$ 209 mn)1752026-272027-28: US$ 181 mn (US$ 149 mn – US$ 221 mn)1812027-28
India’s hand tools exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 181 mn

Likely range US$ 149 mn to US$ 221 mn.

Trend
+3.4% a year
Fit (R²)
0.22 — weak, read with care
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1United States of AmericaUS$ 73.2 mn-5.8%
2GermanyUS$ 8.6 mn-5.8%
3United KingdomUS$ 7.5 mn-10.8%
4United Arab EmiratesUS$ 6.6 mn-3.9%
5FranceUS$ 5.5 mn-55.1%
6AustraliaUS$ 5.2 mn-5.3%
7NetherlandsUS$ 3.5 mn+2.9%
8CanadaUS$ 3.3 mn+18.6%
9ItalyUS$ 3.2 mn-6.1%
10RussiaUS$ 2.9 mn-22.4%
11SwedenUS$ 2.6 mn-0.4%
12Saudi ArabiaUS$ 2.5 mn+21.1%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. Saudi ArabiaUS$ 2 mn → US$ 2.5 mn+21.1%
  2. CanadaUS$ 2.8 mn → US$ 3.3 mn+18.6%

Low demand

  1. FranceUS$ 12.3 mn → US$ 5.5 mn-55.1%
  2. RussiaUS$ 3.7 mn → US$ 2.9 mn-22.4%
  3. United KingdomUS$ 8.5 mn → US$ 7.5 mn-10.8%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Other hnd tool including glaziers diamonds not elsewhere specified8205 59 90 · Tools, hand, other hand tools, excluding household tools, drilling, threading or tapping tools, hammers and…US$ 49.2 mn-4.5%15.4 mn piecesUS$ 3.19 per piecewas US$ 3.20
Hammers and sledge hammers8205 20 00 · Tools, hand, hammers and sledge hammersUS$ 27.6 mn-10%4.9 mn piecesUS$ 5.69 per piecewas US$ 5.92
Tools, hand, vices, clamps and the like — vices,clamps and the like8205 70 00US$ 23.1 mn+29.6%7.5 mn piecesUS$ 3.07 per piecewas US$ 3.83
Grease guns(excludingd comprsd air type)8205 59 10 · Tools, hand, other hand tools, excluding household tools, drilling, threading or tapping tools, hammers and…US$ 18.2 mn-14.1%3.1 mn piecesUS$ 5.95 per piecewas US$ 5.93
Other, includinguding sets of articles of two or more subheadings of this heading8205 90 90 · Tools, hand in heading 8205, including anvils, portable forges, hand or pedal-operated grinding wheels with…US$ 11 mn-31.6%2.9 mn piecesUS$ 3.83 per piecewas US$ 6.95
Planes,chisels,gauges and smlr cutting toolsfor working wood8205 30 00 · Tools, hand, planes, chisels, gauges and similar cutting tools for working woodUS$ 9.4 mn-0.6%5.7 mn piecesUS$ 1.67 per piecewas US$ 1.53
Tools, hand, other hand tools, excluding household tools, drilling, threading or tapping tools, hammers and… — metal working hnd tools8205 59 20US$ 8.8 mn-18.5%3.4 mn piecesUS$ 2.59 per piecewas US$ 2.67
Hand t00ls f0r specified uses, such as,watch makng t00ls,g0ldsmith tools8205 59 30 · Tools, hand, other hand tools, excluding household tools, drilling, threading or tapping tools, hammers and…US$ 6.5 mn-14.4%2.6 mn piecesUS$ 2.54 per piecewas US$ 2.76
Other household hand tools8205 51 90 · Tools, hand, household toolsUS$ 2.1 mn-17.6%3.9 mn piecesUS$ 0.55 per piecewas US$ 0.35
Drilling threading or taping tools8205 10 00 · Tools, hand, drilling, threading or tapping toolsUS$ 2 mn+7.5%467k piecesUS$ 4.30 per piecewas US$ 3.57
Tools, hand, screwdrivers — screwdrivers8205 40 00US$ 1.7 mn-11.1%2.9 mn piecesUS$ 0.58 per piecewas US$ 0.47
Anvils and portable forges8205 90 10 · Tools, hand in heading 8205, including anvils, portable forges, hand or pedal-operated grinding wheels with…US$ 400k-21.6%15k piecesUS$ 25.84 per piecewas US$ 31.79
Sets of articles of two or more of the foregoing sub-headings8205 90 30 · Tools, hand in heading 8205, including anvils, portable forges, hand or pedal-operated grinding wheels with…US$ 270k+28.6%56k piecesUS$ 4.83 per piecewas US$ 163.17
Tools, hand, household tools — can or cork openers8205 51 10US$ 90k-18.2%427k piecesUS$ 0.21 per piecewas US$ 0.34

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 7.84 bn
2023
India among exporters
#9
of 161 countries
India’s share of world exports
1.5%
US$ 148 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 9.64 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 4.45 bn 45.5%
  2. 2Other Asia, nesUS$ 992 mn 10.1%
  3. 3GermanyUS$ 843 mn 8.6%
  4. 4USAUS$ 624 mn 6.4%
  5. 5FranceUS$ 273 mn 2.8%
  6. 6NetherlandsUS$ 194 mn 2%
  7. 7PolandUS$ 161 mn 1.6%
  8. 8ItalyUS$ 157 mn 1.6%
  9. 9IndiaUS$ 148 mn 1.5%
  10. 10United KingdomUS$ 147 mn 1.5%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 1.43 bn 18.3%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 675 mn 8.6%
  3. 3FranceUS$ 507 mn 6.5%
  4. 4CanadaUS$ 302 mn 3.9%
  5. 5NetherlandsUS$ 286 mn 3.7%
  6. 6United KingdomUS$ 281 mn 3.6%
  7. 7SpainUS$ 242 mn 3.1%
  8. 8PolandUS$ 195 mn 2.5%
  9. 9AustraliaUS$ 180 mn 2.3%
  10. 10ItalyUS$ 176 mn 2.2%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

United States of AmericaUS$ 1.52 bnIndia 4.7% · gap US$ 1.45 bn
GermanyUS$ 736 mnIndia 1.3% · gap US$ 726 mn
FranceUS$ 562 mnIndia 1.8% · gap US$ 552 mn
CanadaUS$ 312 mnIndia 1.8% · gap US$ 306 mn
NetherlandsUS$ 281 mnIndia 0.7% · gap US$ 279 mn
United KingdomUS$ 281 mnIndia 2.7% · gap US$ 273 mn
SpainUS$ 228 mnIndia 1.3% · gap US$ 225 mn
ItalyUS$ 203 mnIndia 1.6% · gap US$ 200 mn
AustraliaUS$ 180 mnIndia 2.7% · gap US$ 175 mn
Saudi ArabiaUS$ 166 mnIndia 3.2% · gap US$ 161 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export hand tools

China is by far the largest exporter of hand tools, followed by Taiwan, Germany and the USA; India is a smaller supplier with a strong cluster in Jalandhar and others in Nagaur, Ludhiana and Rajkot. Indian strengths are forged spanners, pliers, hammers, garden and agricultural tools, and price-competitive tools for professional users. Demand comes from hardware chains, DIY retailers and industrial distributors in the USA and Europe looking for alternatives to China. Openings are in private-label tool sets, forged agricultural and garden tools, and insulated or specialist tools that meet European standards.

  1. 01Pick a range

    Focus on a family of tools you forge and finish well.

  2. 02Match the standard

    Get the buyer's standard (ISO/DIN or ASME) and adjust dies and heat treatment.

  3. 03Samples and tests

    Send samples with hardness and torque reports.

  4. 04Packaging design

    Agree private-label packing, barcodes and inserts.

  5. 05Production

    Forge, machine, heat-treat, finish and test by lot.

  6. 06Ship

    Pack, palletise, file the shipping bill and claim RoDTEP and drawback.

  7. 07Payment

    LC or documents against payment with new buyers; open account with ECGC cover once trusted.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting hand tools

Is CE marking needed for spanners?
No — plain hand tools are not covered by a CE directive. They fall under general product safety rules. Do not put CE on them.
Why do buyers check PAH in handles?
Some rubber and plastic grips contain PAHs, restricted in the EU for skin-contact parts. Use certified low-PAH materials.
Metric or imperial sizes?
Europe uses metric; the USA still sells both (SAE inch and metric). Ask the buyer which sets they need.
Can I export agricultural hand tools to Africa?
Yes; African markets buy hoes, machetes and spades from India. Check each country's import standards and pre-shipment inspection schemes.
Which council covers hand tools?
EEPC India.
Sources (5)
  1. EEPC India — official site
  2. ECHA — substances restricted under REACH (Annex XVII list with conditions)
  3. European Commission — CE marking
  4. Office of the Development Commissioner (MSME) — technology centres and testing
  5. NABL — search for accredited testing laboratories

Who buys Indian hand tools

All countries →

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