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

[raksrules]

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 ??

 

[agupta02]

Your cousin's right. the duty allowances are for Indian citizens returning to India not foreign tourists. However, Indians are allowed to receive gifts from abroad duty free but you would have to checks the allowances on that. Another way is for your cousin to take in the laptop as a personal item and then report it lost/stolen, get a copy of the report and show it to the relevant authorities on his way out if asked for.