
India
Global Trade Profile β’ Rank #12 Exporter
$455.43B
Total Exports (2023)
$664.68B
Total Imports (2023)
$209.25B
Trade Deficit
#12
Export Ranking
Trade Flow Visualization
Interactive map showing India's top trading partners. Green lines represent exports, red lines represent imports.
#12
Export Rank
$455.43B
Total Exports
$664.68B
Total Imports
-$209.25B
Trade Balance
30
Trade Partners
π Top Export Destinations
USA
United Arab Emirates
Netherlands
China
United Kingdom
Germany
Saudi Arabia
Bangladesh
Singapore
ItalyTop Export Products
π₯ Top Import Sources
China
Russian Federation
USA
United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia
Iraq
Australia
Rep. of Korea
JapanTop Import Products
π Historical Trade Trends (1995-2023)
29 Years
Data Coverage
29
Data Points
π
Trend Direction
India Trade Analysis 2023
π Overview
India stands as the world's #12 largest exporter and #8 largest importer, demonstrating significant global trade influence.
The trade profile reveals a deficit of 209.25 billion, reflecting import dependencies for growth.
The country maintains active trading relationships with 20 major partners, creating a highly diversified trade network.
Monthly trade flows average $93.34B, generating continuous economic activity across logistics, finance, and trade services.
π’ Export Markets
Export Market Concentration
Export concentration shows USA as the dominant market at 17.9%. The top three markets control 29.7% of exports.
Regional patterns reveal globally balanced access. Secondary markets (Germany, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh) provide $57.17B in additional trade.
π¦ Import Sources
Import Source Concentration
India relies heavily on China for imports (18.0%),maintaining balanced sourcing.
Energy suppliers including United Arab Emirates (38.06B), Saudi Arabia (34.75B), Qatar (12.93B) collectively provide 95.22 billion or 14.3% of imports, highlighting the economy's dependence on imported energy resources.
Manufacturing inputs come primarily from China, Indonesia, Rep. of Korea, Malaysia, reflecting deep integration into Asian production networks. China's dominant position at 119.91 billion encompasses electronics components, textiles, machinery parts, and consumer goods, creating both efficiency benefits and concentration risks.
The USA provides 42.10 billion (6.3%) in imports, concentrated in agricultural products, aircraft, pharmaceuticals, and advanced technology.The top 10 import sources account for 62.1% of total imports, with the remaining 38% distributed among 10 other suppliers.
Regional sourcing patterns reveal strong ASEAN integration with 4 Southeast Asian nations providing 55.29 billion (8.3%) of imports. European suppliers including Germany (17.99B) focus on luxury goods, machinery, and specialized chemicals.
Supply chain resilience strategies increasingly emphasize "China Plus One" approaches, with Thailand, Viet Namemerging as alternative manufacturing bases. The geographic proximity of major suppliers balances efficiency with risk diversification.
π¦ Product Composition
π Export Products
Top Export Products
India's export economy centers on diversified industrial production, with the leading export being preparations n.e.c. containing by weight 70% or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous mineralsat $79.55 billion, accounting for 17.5% of total exports.
Vehicle-related products including passenger cars, hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, and automotive parts total approximately 8.90 billion or 2.0% of exports, encompassing 3 distinct product categories. Electronics, semiconductors, and machinery contribute 24.80 billion or 5.4% of exports.
The automotive sector's dominance is evident in the export portfolio, with with only spark-ignition internal combustion recip... (4.12B), n.e.c. in heading no. 8708 (2.81B). This automotive specialization reflects decades of manufacturing excellence, continuous innovation in fuel efficiency and hybrid technology, and established global brand recognition.
The transition to electric and hybrid vehicles is captured in export data, with 2 categories specifically related to alternative propulsion systems, totaling $3.84B.
Beyond automotive, India maintains strong positions in industrial machinery (1 categories totaling 2.45B), electronic components (22.36B), and Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude, Diamonds, Medicaments.
The top 20 export products collectively account for 42.5% of total exports, revealing healthy product diversification across multiple sectors.
π Import Products
Top Import Products
Energy dominates India's import profile, with fossil fuels accounting for 215.95 billion or 32.5% of total imports. Crude oil leads at 139.78 billion (21.0%), followed by natural gas and coal. This energy import dependency shapes economic policy, inflation dynamics, and strategic relationships with supplier nations.
Key Finding: Energy Dependency
Beyond energy, critical imports include gold, non-monetary, unwrought (but not p... (40.36B, 6.1%), non-industrial, unworked or simply sawn,... (13.60B, 2.0%), processors and controllers, whether or n... (10.09B, 1.5%), of an unladen weight exceeding 15,000kg (10.04B, 1.5%), parts (9.47B, 1.4%).Electronic components and devices total 37.41 billion (5.6% of imports), supporting domestic manufacturing and assembly operations.
The import product mix reveals structural characteristics of India's economy: heavy reliance on imported energy despite industrial advancement, integration into global electronics supply chains, and sophisticated consumption patterns.
The ratio of raw materials to finished goods in imports (8 : 12among top 20 products) indicates balanced import composition. Import substitution potential exists in technology sectors through targeted industrial policies and investment.
Product diversification metrics reveal focused product specializationwith implications for economic resilience and growth potential. The technology ladder progression from 8 primary products to 8 high-tech goods indicates the economy's structural transformation and industrial upgrading trajectory.
Value addition opportunities exist in transitioning from raw material exports to processed goods, from components to finished products, and from standard to customized offerings. The product space connectivity, measuring relatedness between current exports and potential new products, suggests strong potential for diversification into adjacent sophisticated products.
βοΈ Trade Balance Dynamics
| Partner | Exports | Imports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | $17.79B | $119.91B | $-102.12B |
| USA | $81.36B | $42.10B | +$39.26B |
| United Arab Emirates | $31.41B | $38.06B | $-6.65B |
| Russian Federation | $0 | $66.15B | $-66.15B |
| Saudi Arabia | $11.27B | $34.75B | $-23.49B |
Export-to-import ratio of 0.685 means exports cover 68.5% of import costs.
π Key Relationships
Major Trading Partners
| Partner | Exports | Imports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | $17.79B | $119.91B | $-102.12B |
| USA | $81.36B | $42.10B | +$39.26B |
| United Arab Emirates | $31.41B | $38.06B | $-6.65B |
| Russian Federation | $0 | $66.15B | $-66.15B |
| Saudi Arabia | $11.27B | $34.75B | $-23.49B |
| Germany | $13.61B | $17.99B | $-4.38B |
| Indonesia | $8.04B | $23.03B | $-14.99B |
| Iraq | $0 | $29.84B | $-29.84B |
| Total | $163.48B | $371.83B | $-208.35B |
The India-China relationship leads at 137.70 billion in bilateral trade.View detailed analysis β
Additional major partnerships include United Arab Emirates (69.47B total trade), Russian Federation (66.15B total trade), Saudi Arabia (46.02B total trade). Regional integration through Asian supply chains facilitates technology transfer, market access, and production efficiency. The diversity of trading relationshipsβ587.89B across top 10 partnersβprovides resilience against bilateral tensions and regional disruptions.
π Competitive Position
Competitive Advantage
Global rankings position India as the #12 exporter worldwide,within the major trading nations. The country's share of global exports at approximately 4.554%provides substantial market influence and pricing power.
Export sophistication, measured by the dominance of primary commodities, indicates potential for value chain upgrading. The revealed comparative advantage (RCA) index shows strongest competitiveness in sectors where India's global market share exceeds its overall trade share by factors of 2 or more.
Competitive advantages emerge in sectors where export concentration exceeds import share, particularly inpreparations n.e.c. conta, non-industrial, (other th, consisting of mixed or un. The revealed comparative advantage is strongest in product categories representing25.7% of exports. Market positioning against regional competitors shows leadership in key product segments.
Trade complementarity with major partners suggests deep integration into global supply chains. The export quality ladder, comparing unit values to world averages, indicates premium positioning in many categories.
Competitive dynamics are shaped by factor endowments including advanced technology and skilled labor, infrastructure quality, and business environment. The export survival rate, measuring the persistence of export relationships over time, suggests need for relationship strengthening.
Innovation capacity, reflected in the technology content of exports and R&D intensity, determines long-term competitiveness trajectories. The competitive threat from emerging exporters in similar product categories requires continuous upgrading and differentiation strategies to maintain market position. Regional integration through trade agreements provides preferential access to0 markets, creating competitive advantages over non-member competitors.
π― Strategic Outlook
Strategic Priority
The trade profile presents both opportunities and challenges for economic development strategy. Key strengths include strong import capacity enabling technology transfer and consumption growth,diversified market access reducing concentration risk, and competitive positions in essential commodities.
Vulnerabilities include product concentration in cyclical sectors. The intersection of these factors creates a complex strategic landscape requiring careful navigation to maximize opportunities while mitigating risks.
Strategic priorities should focus on export promotion and import substitution to enhance trade competitiveness. Opportunities exist in expanding trade with China, Hong Kong SAR, TΓΒΌrkiye, Indonesia, developing new product capabilities in higher technology sectors, and strengthening regional integration through new partnership frameworks.
The digital transformation of trade, including e-commerce, digital services, and blockchain-based trade finance, offers new avenues for market access and efficiency gains. Green trade opportunities in renewable energy, sustainable products, and carbon markets represent growing segments aligned with global sustainability goals.
The evolving global trade environment, characterized by technological disruption, geopolitical realignment, and sustainability imperatives, will fundamentally reshape India's trade prospects. Success requires balanced policies addressing both improving export capacity while ensuring sustainable import financing.
Investment in infrastructure, education, and innovation ecosystems will determine the ability to climb value chains and capture larger shares of global value addition. The resilience agenda, emphasizing supply chain robustness, strategic autonomy in critical sectors, and economic security considerations, must be balanced with efficiency and openness principles.
As global trade patterns continue evolving, India's position as the world's #12 exporter provides a platform for continued growth, requiring adaptive strategies, institutional strengthening, and sustained commitment to competitiveness enhancement in an increasingly complex and interconnected global economy.
Data Notes
Data from CEPII BACI database, harmonized using UN Comtrade methodology. All values in current USD at 2023 exchange rates. Trade statistics cover merchandise goods only, excluding services. Mirror statistics reconciliation applied for data consistency. 2024 data available January 2026. HS6 product classification follows 2017 revision.
Data source: CEPII BACI | Last updated: January 2025 | Next update: January 2026