Buying

How to write an RFQ for an Indian manufacturer

What to put in a request for quotation so Indian factories can quote accurately: specification, volume, packaging, compliance and terms.

Updated 27 September 2026, with every figure linked to its source below

A good request for quotation (RFQ) tells an Indian factory exactly what to make, how many, where the goods are going and on what terms. It also asks the factory for what only it can tell you: the price, the minimum order quantity, the lead time and the 8-digit Indian export code. The more precisely you describe the product and its destination, the more comparable the quotes you get back, and the fewer surprises at customs.

Start with the specification

When you name a product on FindSuppliersIndia, we draft an RFQ for you to edit. It covers the attributes that matter for that product and skips the rest. Use the same list when you write your own:

• Product and intended use. One sentence on what it is and who uses it: "Double-walled stainless steel water bottle for retail sale", not just "bottles". Intended use decides which safety rules apply.
• Material. The grade or composition, as precisely as you can: steel grade, fibre content by percentage, type of clay body, leather type. If you are flexible, say so and ask the factory to propose.
• Size and weight. Dimensions with tolerances, capacity, and a weight or density measure where the trade uses one, such as fabric weight for towels and linen.
• Finish and colour. Surface treatment, printing or embroidery, glaze, plating, colour references. Attach photos or a sample if you have one.
• Packaging. Unit packaging, inner packs, master cartons, labels and barcodes, and any retailer requirements. Packaging can change the price noticeably, so leaving it out makes quotes hard to compare.
• Certifications and tests. What your market requires and what your customers ask for. More on this below.
• Volume. Your first order and a realistic yearly figure. A factory prices a trial order and a regular programme differently.
• Importing country. Where the goods will be cleared. It decides the duty, the product rules and often the labelling.

Why the detail matters for duty

Details that look cosmetic can change the tariff line. Under US HS 6302.31, cotton bed linen falls on one of four legal lines, depending on whether the fabric is napped and whether it has embroidery, lace or similar trim. Those lines carry 3.8%, 6.7%, 11.9% and 20.9%^[1]. A specification that states the construction and the trim lets you, your broker and the factory agree on the line before you order.

Build your market's rules into the spec

Your importing country's product rules belong in the RFQ, not in a later conversation. A factory can only quote for testing, labels and markings it knows about. Some examples from the rules we track:

• The US requires each item, or its outer container where the rules allow, to be marked with its country of origin in English^[2]. Specify the marking and where it goes.
• US household textiles need a label with fibre content by percentage, the country of origin, and the manufacturer's or dealer's name or RN number^[3]. Give the factory your label text.
• The FDA limits the lead and cadmium that can leach from ceramic foodware and detains imports that exceed them^[4]. Ask for leach test reports from an accredited lab.
• In the EU, materials that touch food must not transfer harmful substances into it, and some, including ceramics, need a written declaration of compliance^[5]. Ask whether the factory can supply one.
• Medium screw-base LED lamps sold in the US need the FTC Lighting Facts label on the package^[6]. That is a packaging requirement, so put it in the packaging section.

The full list for the US, EU and UK is in Product rules for importing Indian goods.

Ask about India's BIS certification

India's Quality Control Orders make certification by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) compulsory for listed products. Domestic stainless steel vacuum flasks and bottles are listed against IS 17526^[7]. Self-ballasted LED lamps are listed against IS 16102 under BIS's registration scheme^[8]. Some orders exempt goods made only for export, and others don't.

You don't have to work this out alone, but you should ask. In the RFQ, ask whether an Indian standard or Quality Control Order covers the product, whether the factory holds the licence or registration, and whether the order applies to goods made for export. A factory that answers clearly and cites its licence number is showing you something about how it works.

Ask for the 8-digit code and the RoDTEP line

The first six digits of an HS code are shared internationally. Beyond that, each country adds its own digits. India's 8-digit ITC(HS) code is what the factory declares on the shipping bill, and it decides the export policy and the export incentive. Your own country's 8- or 10-digit code is a separate classification that your broker confirms.

Ask the factory to state its 8-digit code and the RoDTEP rate on that line. RoDTEP refunds the exporter a share of the export value, and the rate can differ between neighbouring lines. Under HS 6911.10, bone china and soft porcelain on line 69111011 earn 1.4%, while "other" on line 69111019 earns 0.9%^[9]. Ask whether the quoted price already reflects the refund.

Commercial terms to ask for

We don't publish minimum order quantities or lead times. They vary by factory, product, material and season, so ask for them directly:

• Minimum order quantity, per design and per colour, and whether a smaller trial order is possible at a higher price.
• Lead time for samples, for the first order and for repeat orders, and what it depends on, such as fabric or material availability.
• Price basis: the Incoterm and the named port (for example FOB at a named Indian port), the currency, and how long the quote is valid.
• Payment terms the factory accepts.
• Samples: cost, timing and whether the sample cost is credited against the order.
• Quality control: in-house checks, and whether a third-party pre-shipment inspection is acceptable.
• Export experience: which markets the factory already ships to. It isn't proof of anything on its own, but it tells you whether your market's rules will be new to them.

A template outline

1. About you: company, country, sales channel, contact.
2. Product: one-sentence description and intended use.
3. Specification: material, dimensions and tolerances, weight or density, finish, colours. Attach drawings, photos or a reference sample.
4. Packaging and labelling: unit pack, carton, labels, origin marking, barcodes.
5. Compliance: destination market rules and the tests or documents you need; the BIS position in India.
6. Volume: first order and expected yearly quantity.
7. Destination: importing country and preferred port.
8. Please quote: unit price by quantity break, Incoterm and port, currency, validity, MOQ, lead times, payment terms, sample terms.
9. Please confirm: the 8-digit ITC(HS) code, the RoDTEP line and whether the price reflects it, and any certifications held.

If you haven't yet checked whether India makes your product at scale, browse the categories or see where it's made.