Buying Laptop from US and sending through a US citizen to India...Any custom issues ?

5 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/buying-laptop-from-us-and-sending-through-a-us-citizen-to-india-any-custom-issues.157260/

I want to buy a laptop from US and get it delivered to my cousin's address. He is going to India in a month or so. I wish to send the laptop through him but he is bit reluctant about customs and all. I know that one laptop is free but here in this scenario, my cousin does not have Indian passport and he is a US citizen and coming to India on US passport and India Tourist Visa. So he says that the customs people will write down on passport about the laptop if he says it is personal and will expect that he carries laptop back when flying back to US.
If he says it is gift then they will charge customs on the laptop.
I am confused as what i should be doing in this case.

Any suggestions ??

Ask him to tell it got stolen when he was in India. He may have to file an FIR.

iirc, items labeled "gift" is customs free, that is through shipping, not sure about people carrying it...

If he says it is personal and then he can say that he gifted some body in India. or donated it ... left at his relative or at own house for later use.. how can custom ask for custom duty.. sold it for financial reasons. their are many possible reasons..

I don't think they will expect or say check him when he return to us...

hey personal opinion don't know about actual facts

another reality is that the "other person" is making up rules to not bring you the laptop, but then again, it's the last possibility...