China vs India landed cost — what would you save by switching?
The cumulative 54% Section 301 + reciprocal tariff stack on China imports (2025–2026) has flipped the math for Canadian DTC and Amazon FBA brands. India ships under CEPA-track preferential rates with clean SIMA status — this calculator shows your dollar-for-dollar comparison on the same SKU.
Why 2026 is the inflection point
- ⚠54% cumulative China tariff— Section 301 base rates plus the 2025–2026 reciprocal escalation now stack on most HS codes Canadian importers use (39, 48, 71, 42).
- ✓India CEPA negotiations resumed Mar 2026. India already enjoys MFN access into Canada; CEPA is expected to push several HS lines to 0% over the next 24 months.
- ✓No India anti-dumping in our HS codes.CBSA SIMA measures are clean for India in HS 39 (plastics), 48 (paper), 71 (jewelry), 42 (leather) — the categories most DTC brands import.
Enter your scenario
Typical first-time DTC brand: 1,000–3,000 u/mo.
India MFN duty: 0%. China rate is the 54% tariff stack on top of FOB.
Your current FOB price from China.
India is typically 5–15% higher on unit cost — tariff offset is what wins.
Cubic metres per unit (packed). 0.001 = roughly a small jewelry box.
Default 1.36 reflects Apr 2026 BoC noon rate.
Sources
- • USTR Section 301 tariff list & 2025–2026 reciprocal tariff escalations (cumulative 54% rate)
- • CBSA SIMA anti-dumping & countervailing measures registry — clean for India in HS 39 (plastics), 48 (paper), 71 (jewelry), 42 (leather)
- • Government of Canada CEPA negotiations announcement, Mar 2 2026
- • UN COMTRADE 2025 trade data — $734M India jewelry imports into Canada
- • Bank of Canada noon FX rate (USD/CAD), Apr 2026 — default 1.36