diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e5043f8b3..ddac5b7bb 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 ### Fixed
 - Update only changed index settings ([#52](https://github.com/elastic/terraform-provider-elasticstack/issues/52))
+- Enable import of index settings ([#53](https://github.com/elastic/terraform-provider-elasticstack/issues/53))
 
 ## [0.2.0] - 2022-01-27
 ### Added
diff --git a/docs/resources/elasticsearch_index.md b/docs/resources/elasticsearch_index.md
index 5da816ed9..f15b057fd 100644
--- a/docs/resources/elasticsearch_index.md
+++ b/docs/resources/elasticsearch_index.md
@@ -127,8 +127,15 @@ Required:
 
 ## Import
 
+**NOTE:** While importing index resource, keep in mind, that some of the default index settings will be imported into the TF state too.
+You can later adjust the index configuration to account for those imported settings.
+
+Some of the default settings, which could be imported are: `index.number_of_replicas`, `index.number_of_shards` and `index.routing.allocation.include._tier_preference`.
+
 Import is supported using the following syntax:
 
 ```shell
+# NOTE: while importing index resource, keep in mind, that some of the default index settings will be imported into the TF state too
+# You can later adjust the index configuration to account for those imported settings
 terraform import elasticstack_elasticsearch_index.my_index <cluster_uuid>/<index_name>
 ```
diff --git a/examples/resources/elasticstack_elasticsearch_index/import.sh b/examples/resources/elasticstack_elasticsearch_index/import.sh
index 827b254d0..2d42c47c0 100644
--- a/examples/resources/elasticstack_elasticsearch_index/import.sh
+++ b/examples/resources/elasticstack_elasticsearch_index/import.sh
@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
+# NOTE: while importing index resource, keep in mind, that some of the default index settings will be imported into the TF state too
+# You can later adjust the index configuration to account for those imported settings
 terraform import elasticstack_elasticsearch_index.my_index <cluster_uuid>/<index_name>
 
diff --git a/internal/elasticsearch/index/index.go b/internal/elasticsearch/index/index.go
index f110610b4..583be2b1f 100644
--- a/internal/elasticsearch/index/index.go
+++ b/internal/elasticsearch/index/index.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package index
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"reflect"
 	"regexp"
@@ -147,7 +148,55 @@ If specified, this mapping can include: field names, field data types (https://w
 		DeleteContext: resourceIndexDelete,
 
 		Importer: &schema.ResourceImporter{
-			StateContext: schema.ImportStatePassthroughContext,
+			StateContext: func(ctx context.Context, d *schema.ResourceData, m interface{}) ([]*schema.ResourceData, error) {
+				// default settings populated by Elasticsearch, which we do not support and should ignore
+				var ignoredDefaults = map[string]struct{}{
+					"index.creation_date":   struct{}{},
+					"index.provided_name":   struct{}{},
+					"index.uuid":            struct{}{},
+					"index.version.created": struct{}{},
+				}
+
+				// first populate what we can with Read
+				diags := resourceIndexRead(ctx, d, m)
+				if diags.HasError() {
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("Unable to import requested index")
+				}
+
+				client, err := clients.NewApiClient(d, m)
+				if err != nil {
+					return nil, err
+				}
+				compId, diags := clients.CompositeIdFromStr(d.Id())
+				if diags.HasError() {
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to parse provided ID")
+				}
+				indexName := compId.ResourceId
+				index, diags := client.GetElasticsearchIndex(indexName)
+				if diags.HasError() {
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to get an ES Index")
+				}
+				// check the settings and import those as well
+				if index.Settings != nil {
+					settings := make(map[string]interface{})
+					result := make([]interface{}, 0)
+					for k, v := range index.Settings {
+						if _, ok := ignoredDefaults[k]; ok {
+							continue
+						}
+						setting := make(map[string]interface{})
+						setting["name"] = k
+						setting["value"] = v
+						result = append(result, setting)
+					}
+					settings["setting"] = result
+
+					if err := d.Set("settings", []interface{}{settings}); err != nil {
+						return nil, err
+					}
+				}
+				return []*schema.ResourceData{d}, nil
+			},
 		},
 
 		CustomizeDiff: customdiff.ForceNewIfChange("mappings", func(ctx context.Context, old, new, meta interface{}) bool {
@@ -402,8 +451,7 @@ func resourceIndexRead(ctx context.Context, d *schema.ResourceData, meta interfa
 		}
 	}
 	if index.Settings != nil {
-		// normalize settings before saving raw settings
-		s, err := json.Marshal(utils.NormalizeIndexSettings(index.Settings))
+		s, err := json.Marshal(index.Settings)
 		if err != nil {
 			return diag.FromErr(err)
 		}
diff --git a/templates/resources/elasticsearch_index.md.tmpl b/templates/resources/elasticsearch_index.md.tmpl
index c612e1322..c82cb37cc 100644
--- a/templates/resources/elasticsearch_index.md.tmpl
+++ b/templates/resources/elasticsearch_index.md.tmpl
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ Creates or updates an index. This resource can define settings, mappings and ali
 
 ## Import
 
+**NOTE:** While importing index resource, keep in mind, that some of the default index settings will be imported into the TF state too.
+You can later adjust the index configuration to account for those imported settings.
+
+Some of the default settings, which could be imported are: `index.number_of_replicas`, `index.number_of_shards` and `index.routing.allocation.include._tier_preference`.
+
 Import is supported using the following syntax:
 
 {{ codefile "shell" "examples/resources/elasticstack_elasticsearch_index/import.sh" }}