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Astromar Logistics

OVERVIEW

What is an FTWZ in India?

A Free Trade Warehousing Zone (FTWZ) is a Government-notified area established under the SEZ Act, 2005, where imported goods can be stored without immediate payment of customs duty or GST. Goods stay in the zone duty-free until they're cleared for domestic sale, re-exported abroad, or transferred to another FTWZ.

Astromar operates 10 strategic FTWZ warehouse locations across India — from Chennai and Mumbai's busiest container ports to inland gateways at Khurja and Bengaluru. Each facility is fully bonded, customs-controlled, and licensed for value-added activities including kitting, labelling, repackaging, and re-export.

For importers, this means working capital that isn't trapped in customs duty, GST deferred until point of sale, and the operational flexibility to consolidate, repack, and re-export without triggering tax events.

FTWZ ADVANTAGES

Why Choose Astromar for Free Trade Zone Warehousing

Duty-Free Storage

Store imported goods inside an FTWZ without paying customs duty, freeing up working capital until goods are actually needed.

Indefinite GST Deferral

Defer GST indefinitely on goods stored in the FTWZ — pay only when goods move into the Domestic Tariff Area.

Re-Export Without Penalty

Re-export stored goods to any global destination with zero customs duty or GST liability, maximising export margins.

Bonded Warehousing

Fully bonded, customs-controlled storage with 24/7 security, CCTV surveillance, and tamper-evident access controls.

Value-Added Services

Repacking, relabeling, kitting, sorting, and quality inspection performed within the FTWZ without triggering duty.

Single Window Clearance

Streamlined customs documentation and single-window clearance managed by our in-house compliance team.

WHY ASTROMAR

Accelerating Customs Clearances across Free Trade Zone Networks

Our Free Trade Zone operations span 10 strategic locations with 24/7 customs liaison, fast-track examination, and dedicated SEZ officer coordination.

10

Strategic Locations

Chennai, Mumbai, Kochi, Vizag, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Dahej, and Mundra

24/7

Customs On-Site

In-house customs team for instant clearance across all FTWZ facilities

SEZ Act

Fully Compliant

All facilities notified under SEZ Act 2005 with full statutory benefits

FTWZ USE CASES

How Industries Use Our FTWZ Network

As a licensed Free Zone Company operating under the SEZ Act, Astromar serves importers, exporters, and re-exporters across 6 industries. Our Free Zone Company status enables duty deferral, single-window customs, and value-added services unavailable in regular warehousing.

💻

Electronics & High-Value Goods

Defer duty on high-value imports until point of sale

  • Zero customs duty on storage
  • Tamper-evident access controls
  • Re-export to any destination duty-free
💊

Pharma & Cold Chain

Temperature-controlled duty-free bonded storage

  • GDP-compliant cold rooms available
  • GST deferral on pharma imports
  • Seamless DTA clearance on demand
🛒

FMCG & Consumer Goods

Consolidate, kit, and distribute efficiently

  • Kitting & relabeling permitted in-zone
  • Pan-India DTA distribution
  • Single-window customs clearance
⚙️

Automotive Parts

Just-in-time supply without upfront duty burden

  • Defer duty until assembly demand arises
  • Quality inspection inside FTWZ
  • Multi-origin cargo consolidation
👕

Textiles & Apparel

Re-export surplus stock globally with zero duty

  • Zero duty re-export flexibility
  • Sorting & relabeling allowed
  • Supply global buyers directly from FTWZ
🏗️

Project & Specialized Cargo

Stage heavy equipment without upfront duty payment

  • Indefinite bonded storage permitted
  • Oversized cargo handling available
  • Phased DTA clearance as needed

FTWZ COMPARISON

FTWZ vs Bonded Warehouse vs Regular Warehouse

See how Astromar's FTWZ gives your business a clear competitive advantage over conventional and bonded warehousing.

FeatureRegular WarehouseBonded WarehouseAstromar FTWZ ✦
Customs DutyPaid on arrivalDeferred 1 yearDeferred indefinitely
GST on StorageFully applicableApplicable100% deferred until DTA
Storage DurationLimited, renewal needed1 year limitIndefinite storage permitted
Interest on DutyN/A — duty paid upfrontInterest charged after 90 daysZero interest — duty fully deferred
Value-Added ServicesSeverely limitedRestrictedFull — kitting, labelling, assembly
Re-Export Without DutyNot possibleLimitedFully permitted, zero liability
Income Tax (Re-Export)Standard ratesStandard rates5-year exemption on profits
Multi-CurrencyINR onlyINR onlyUSD/EUR/INR multi-currency permitted
Overseas Supplier Stock HoldingNot allowedNot allowedPermitted — consignment stocking by foreign suppliers

* All FTWZ benefits subject to SEZ Act compliance and Astromar facility terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1.What is a Free Trade Warehousing Zone?

A Free Trade Warehousing Zone (FTWZ) is a Government-notified area established under the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005, where imported goods can be stored without immediate payment of customs duty or GST. Goods stay in the zone duty-free until they're cleared for domestic sale, re-exported, or transferred to another FTWZ. Astromar operates 10 strategic FTWZ locations across India's major ports and inland corridors.

Q2.How is FTWZ different from a regular bonded warehouse?

Both allow duty-deferred storage, but FTWZs offer significantly broader benefits: unlimited storage tenure versus 1-year limit, permitted activities including manufacturing and value addition, 100% GST deferral, and 5-year income tax exemption on re-export profits. A standard bonded warehouse typically restricts storage to passive holding only.

Q3.What are the tax benefits of operating from an FTWZ in India?

Operating from an FTWZ provides four major tax benefits: zero customs duty until goods exit to the Domestic Tariff Area; 100% GST deferral on imports; service tax exemption on FTWZ-internal operations like labelling and kitting; and income tax exemption on re-export profits for the first 5 years under the SEZ Act, 2005.

Q4.Which industries benefit most from FTWZ warehouse operations?

FTWZ warehousing benefits virtually any industry handling significant import volumes: electronics, automotive components, pharmaceuticals (with cold-chain capability), FMCG, textiles, chemicals, project cargo, and bulk commodities. Companies operating from FTWZs typically save ₹2-5 crore annually on duty deferral alone.

Q5.Can I do value-added activities like kitting or labelling inside the FTWZ?

Yes — kitting, labelling, repackaging, sorting, quality inspection, and assembly are all permitted within an FTWZ without triggering customs duty. This allows importers to add value to goods before they enter the Domestic Tariff Area or are re-exported, often resulting in significant cost and time savings.

Q6.How many FTWZ locations does Astromar operate in India?

Astromar operates 10 strategic FTWZ locations across India: Chennai (Sriperumbudur and Vallur), Mumbai (Panvel and JNPA), Kochi, Visakhapatnam, Delhi NCR (Khurja), Bengaluru, Dahej, and Mundra. Each facility is positioned at or near a major port, airport, or inland freight corridor to serve specific industries and geographic markets.

✓ 500+ Clients Served✓ 10 FTWZ Locations✓ 7+ Years of Excellence

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