iPhone 18 Pro Customs Duty in India Sparks Protest At Kochi Airport, But What Do Rules Say?

A new iPhone 18 Pro is supposed to feel like a win. However, this one turned into a standoff at an airport. Ajas Mohammed, founder of learning platform Eduport, bought an iPhone 18 Pro in Dubai and landed into trouble at Kochi airport, Nedumbassery. He said the iPhone 18 Pro was meant purely for personal use, but the handset never made it past customs without a fight. When officials demanded customs duty, Ajas refused, the phone was seized, and it sparked a protest, leading to very public argument, and a police case over where exactly India draws the line on duty-free limits. So, what is this iPhone 18 Pro customs duty in India slapped on Ajas about?

iPhone 18 Pro Customs Duty in India

First things first. There is a huge difference in iPhone 18 Pro price in India vs Dubai. It causes many people flying through Dubai to purchase the new iPhone and save thousands of rupees. However, reality is always different and governments have a habit of dealing with such instances. Hence the customs duty.

Ajas alleged customs officials cited the fact that he was already carrying another phone as grounds to demand duty on the new iPhone 18 Pro. He refused to pay, and that’s when the iPhone was reportedly seized. 

According to a Khaleej Times report, other passengers carrying iPhone 18 Pro models had apparently shelled out anywhere between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000 in customs duty, but Ajas wasn’t willing to follow suit, insisting he wouldn’t part with “even one rupee unjustly.”

He said he’d stay put at the airport, peacefully, until his phone was handed back, and claimed CISF personnel forcibly removed him in the process. Nedumbassery police have since registered a case against him for allegedly interfering with customs officers on duty. 

Gulf News reported that officials pushed back on his personal-use argument, noting the exemption applies to phones already used by their owner for a while, not an unregistered, brand-new one, especially when he already had another iPhone on him.

What Are iPhone 18 Pro Customs Rules About?

Ajas claimed officials pointed to a Rs 75,000 duty-free limit. iPhone 18 Pro price in india is ₹1,64,900. Under India’s Baggage Rules, 2026, in effect since February 2, eligible passengers can bring in goods worth up to Rs 75,000 without paying duty, though allowances shift depending on passenger category. Crew members pay just Rs 2500.

Official guidance defines personal effects as articles a passenger may reasonably need during their journey, new or used, but excluding anything meant for commercial purposes. 

Crucially, it adds that only used personal effects needed for daily necessities are allowed in duty-free into India without any cap. Officials said the iPhone 18 Pro Ajas had was brand new, was not being used, and hence customs duty had to be paid.