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Supplier Verification

10 Questions to Ask an Indian Supplier on the First Call

4 min read 1 December 2025 Alexey Kovalev

These 10 questions to ask an Indian supplier on the first call will quickly reveal whether you are dealing with a real manufacturer, a trader, or a fraudster. A well-structured 20-minute call — before spending money on document verification, before negotiating pricing, before requesting samples — can save you enormous time and money by quickly identifying unreliable or fraudulent suppliers. The key is knowing what questions to ask and how to interpret the answers. Learn more about our team and how we help importers navigate these first conversations safely. Then follow up with our supplier verification services before any payment.

Why Asking the Right Questions Matters

Business communication culture in India differs significantly from Western norms. In India, a direct "no" is often avoided in favour of indirect responses, vague commitments, or optimistic claims that may not reflect reality. An Indian supplier will very rarely say "we cannot do that" — they are more likely to say "we will try" or "it should be possible" — even when the honest answer is no. This is not necessarily dishonesty; it is a cultural communication pattern. Your job is to ask questions structured in a way that makes evasion visible.

Additionally, the first call tests the supplier's knowledge of their own business. A genuine manufacturer can answer operational questions immediately and confidently. A trader pretending to be a manufacturer, or a fraudster who has memorised a story, will stumble on specific operational details. See our client cases for examples of how early call screening helped catch problems before any payment was made.

Suspicious Answer Patterns

Be cautious when a supplier: changes the subject when asked for specifics, says "I will send you information by email" for every operational question, cannot immediately state their GST or IEC number, describes their factory in very general terms without specifics, or becomes defensive when you ask about video calls or factory visits.

Question 1 — Are You a Manufacturer or a Trader?

Question 1
"Are you directly manufacturing this product, or are you a trader/agent sourcing from other factories?"

Good answer: "We manufacture at our own factory. Our plant is located at [specific address]. We have [X] workers and [X] machines."

Red flag: Evasion, "we work with multiple factories," inability to name a specific production address, or claiming to be a manufacturer while being unable to answer any production-specific follow-up questions.

This question matters because manufacturers and traders have very different risk profiles and capabilities. A manufacturer can resolve quality issues directly; a trader cannot. A manufacturer's pricing should reflect production costs; a trader adds markup with no corresponding value-add.

Question 2 — What is Your MOQ and Production Capacity?

Question 2
"What is your minimum order quantity, and what is your maximum monthly production capacity for this product?"

Good answer: Specific numbers with reasoning. "Our MOQ is 500 kg because our minimum batch size for the mixer is 500 kg. Our monthly capacity is 8,000 kg."

Red flag: "We can do any quantity," extremely low MOQs with no explanation, or capacity numbers that are inconsistent with the factory size they later describe.

Question 3 — Can You Show Me the Factory on a Live Video Call Right Now?

Question 3
"Can you walk me through your production floor on a live video call right now, or can we schedule one for tomorrow?"

Good answer: "Sure, let me transfer to WhatsApp video" or "Our production manager is available tomorrow at 10 AM IST."

Red flag: Persistent excuses, "our internet is poor," "the factory is currently shut down," or a pre-recorded video rather than live footage. Any legitimate manufacturer with a real facility can do a live video call.

This single question is one of the most effective screening tools available. You cannot fabricate a real production floor on a live, unannounced video call. If the supplier refuses or delays indefinitely, treat this as a major warning sign.

Question 4 — What Export Certifications Do You Hold?

Question 4
"Can you tell me your IEC number, GST number, and any product-specific certifications like FSSAI or BIS?"

Good answer: Immediately provides specific numbers. "Our IEC is 1234567890, GST is 27AABCU9603R1ZM, FSSAI Central Licence 12345678901234."

Red flag: Uncertainty about their own IEC number, "I will send by email later," not knowing what IEC stands for, or claiming not to need an IEC for export.

Question 5 — Who Are Your Current Clients?

Question 5
"Can you name 2–3 of your current international buyers and provide a reference contact?"

Good answer: Names of companies (even if you cannot verify immediately), countries, and willingness to provide contact information for a reference check.

Red flag: "Our clients are confidential," inability to name a single international buyer, or references that, when checked, have never heard of the supplier.

Question 6 — How Long Have You Been in This Industry?

Question 6
"When was your company established, and how long have you been producing this specific product?"

Good answer: A consistent story with verifiable details. "We started in 2008 as a textile manufacturer. We began spice processing in 2015 after expanding our facility."

Red flag: Established very recently (less than 2 years ago for a new supplier relationship), inconsistency between the founding date and the claimed company history, or MCA registration records that contradict what they say.

Question 7 — What is Your Lead Time?

Question 7
"What is your standard production lead time for [quantity X] of [product], and what is a realistic delivery time to [your country] by sea?"

Good answer: Specific, realistic numbers. "Production: 15 days. Booking and loading: 5 days. Sea transit to Hamburg: 22 days. Total: approximately 42 days from order confirmation."

Red flag: Unrealistically short timelines ("we can ship next week"), vague answers ("it depends"), or inability to estimate sea transit time to your country — every experienced exporter knows approximate sea freight transit times.

Question 8 — What Payment Terms Are You Willing to Consider?

Question 8
"What payment terms do you work with? We typically work with 30% advance and 70% against Bill of Lading or Letter of Credit."

Good answer: Willingness to negotiate, familiarity with LC terms, or a reasonable counter-proposal (e.g., 40/60 split).

Red flag: Insistence on 100% advance, refusing to discuss LC, or inability to explain what a Letter of Credit is — a legitimate exporter who deals with international clients knows LC terms. Read the $40,000 recovery case to see what happens when 100% advance is paid to an unverified supplier.

Question 9 — Do You Have Experience with International Importers?

Question 9
"Have you previously exported to [your country] or to buyers in the EU/USA? What documents did you provide for customs clearance?"

Good answer: Familiarity with Certificate of Origin (Form A), Phytosanitary Certificates, Commercial Invoice formats, and Packing List requirements.

Red flag: Never exported before (high risk for a large first order), no knowledge of COO requirements, or confusion about basic export documentation.

Question 10 — Can I Order Samples Before Committing?

Question 10
"Can I order a paid sample (500g–2kg) before placing a full order, shipped via DHL or FedEx to my address?"

Good answer: "Yes, we can send samples. Sample cost: $50 + courier cost. Delivery: 5–7 days via DHL."

Red flag: Refusal to send samples, samples offered only for free (they may cherry-pick top-quality material), or demands for a full order commitment before samples.

How to Interpret the Answers

No single answer should be treated as definitive — evaluate the conversation as a whole. A supplier who provides confident, specific, consistent answers across all 10 questions — even if some answers are not perfect — is a much stronger candidate than one who is evasive, inconsistent, or unable to answer operational questions.

Use the first call as a filter, not a final decision. Suppliers who pass the first call screening should then have their documents verified through official registries with our supplier verification services, and ideally be subject to an on-site factory inspection before any significant order is placed.

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Article Summary

Questions for Indian Supplier: First Call Checklist

Questions for Indian supplier — first call checklist
Questions for Indian supplier — first call checklist

Asking the right questions for an Indian supplier on your first call can reveal red flags before you send any money. This checklist — from 500+ supplier verifications — covers everything critical.

The right questions to ask an Indian supplier on the first call can reveal red flags before you send a single dollar. This checklist — built from 500+ supplier verifications — covers everything that matters.

The first call with an Indian supplier is more than a business introduction — it is an intelligence-gathering exercise that can reveal critical information about the supplier’s legitimacy, capacity, and trustworthiness. Experienced importers know that certain questions, asked directly and clearly, produce responses that immediately distinguish professional exporters from fraudulent intermediaries. Here are the 10 most revealing questions, along with what strong answers and warning signs look like for each.

Why the First Call Reveals So Much

Fraudulent Indian suppliers invest heavily in their written materials: professional websites, polished email templates, convincing catalogs, and carefully curated sample shipments. But real-time verbal responses to specific operational questions are much harder to fake convincingly. A supplier that cannot answer basic questions about their production capacity, certification numbers, or export history in real time — or who deflects, gives vague answers, or becomes evasive — is demonstrating something important. A supplier that answers confidently and specifically, with verifiable details, is worth continuing to engage.

Question 1: “What is your company’s full legal name and MCA registration number?”

Good answer: Immediate, specific answer with the CIN (Corporate Identity Number) that you can verify on the MCA portal.
Red flag: Hesitation, “I will send it by email,” or a response that doesn’t include a verifiable registration number.

Question 2: “What is your GST number and which state are you registered in?”

Good answer: 15-character GST number with the state code matching their claimed location.
Red flag: “We export under a different entity” without a clear explanation, or a number that doesn’t verify on the GSTN portal.

Question 3: “What is your current monthly production capacity for this product?”

Good answer: Specific number with unit of measurement, ideally with mention of shift patterns and equipment used.
Red flag: “We can produce any quantity you need” without specifics, or a number that seems implausibly high for the company size.

Question 4: “Which countries do you currently export to and can you provide references?”

Good answer: Named countries and buyer references willing to be contacted.
Red flag: Vague “we export worldwide” without specifics, or references who are unavailable or don’t respond to verification requests.

Question 5: “What quality certifications do you hold and what are the certificate numbers?”

Good answer: Specific certification numbers for FSSAI, BIS, ISO, or other relevant certifications that can be verified immediately on government portals.
Red flag: “We have all certifications” without specific numbers, or certificates that cannot be verified on official portals.

Question 6: “What is your minimum order quantity and current lead time?”

Good answer: Realistic MOQ based on production economics, with an honest lead time range.
Red flag: MOQ that is suspiciously low (may indicate a trading company, not manufacturer), or lead time that is implausibly fast for the product type.

Question 7: “What payment terms do you offer and is letter of credit acceptable?”

Good answer: Established exporters offer 30% advance, balance against documents. Large suppliers may accept L/C.
Red flag: Insistence on 50%+ advance, rejection of L/C for large orders, or requests for payment to personal accounts.

Question 8: “Can we arrange an unannounced factory visit through our India agent?”

Good answer: “Yes, we welcome inspections — here is our factory address and we can coordinate with your agent.”
Red flag: Hesitation, “we need 2 weeks notice,” or requirement that you visit with a company escort only.

Question 9: “Do you manufacture this product yourself or source it from another factory?”

Good answer: Clear statement of their manufacturing role. Trading companies that are honest about their role are manageable; those that lie about it create serious risks.
Red flag: Claim to be a manufacturer but cannot answer specific production questions.

Question 10: “What documentation will accompany the shipment for customs clearance?”

Good answer: Specific list matching your destination country’s requirements: commercial invoice, packing list, COO, FSSAI certificate, phytosanitary certificate, etc.
Red flag: Vague response indicating unfamiliarity with export documentation, or assurance that “everything is handled” without details.

Even a supplier who answers all 10 questions well requires professional verification before payment — the first call screens for obvious problems, but only on-site inspection and document verification confirms the full picture. View case studies where first-call red flags were confirmed by verification. Contact us to start a verification.

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