India’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products

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The 100 most valuable consumer products imported into the Republic of India in 2021 generated US$194.7 billion worth of spending. That dollar amount represents 34.1% of the overall value of all Indian imported goods ($570.4 billion).

India’s spending on imported consumer goods accelerated by 137.3% compared to 2017 and expanded by 53.2% year over year from 2020.

India’s purchases of imported products–both overall and consumer–grew at a much faster pace than the global average uptick of 26.5% from 2020 to 2021 for all importing countries.

The 5 most valuable consumer products imported into India during 2021 were gold, diamonds, coal, gas and mobile phones.

Among the top 100 consumer products imported by India, 95 increased in total value from 2020 to 2021 whereas just 5 declined.

Changes in Indian consumer demand for essential imports offer future opportunities for international suppliers who correctly anticipate which upward or downward trends will continue.

Consumer Products Defined

Economics educator BoyceWire defines a consumer product as a final good or end product that a business creates for consumers to buy. For example, consumers often purchase refined petroleum oil at the gas station while imported crude oil is an intermediate good subject to further processing before being sold to end users.

Although there may be a few wealthy individual buyers, products like turbojets are excluded from the consumer products targeted by this study. That is because turbojets are usually purchased by corporations. In contrast, it is common for a consumer to buy a motorcycle.

Types of Consumer Products

This article focuses on 3 distinct consumer product types.

Convenience Products are easy to access, non-durable, have relatively lower prices and therefore consumers frequently purchase them. Examples of convenience products are food, alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks, and soap.

Shopping Products are not as easily available, involve more time to make a buying decision, are durable and are not bought as often as most convenience products. A great example of a shopping product is a mobile phone where buying the wrong model is a much more expensive mistake than buying a disappointing loaf of bread.

Speciality Products describe another consumer product type. This grey area includes infrequently purchased, expensive, durable and sometimes rare items. Consumers may consider the product’s brand image when making their purchase decisions. Some examples of speciality products are gold, silver, diamonds, jewelry, and branded refrigerators and dishwashers.

India’s Most Valuable Imported Convenience Products

The list below showcases the most valuable imported convenience products on which buyers in India spent the most. Items were selected at the four-digit Harmonized System tariff classification code level and are presented in descending order.

You can also peruse the greatest increases or decreases in product values from 2021 to 2022 by focusing on the percentages displayed to the right of each product name.

  1. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: US$24,044,645,000 (up 57.7%)
  2. Petroleum gas: $13,239,884,000 (up 4.2%)
  3. Processed petroleum oils: $9,568,456,000 (up 86.9%)
  4. Palm oil: $5,022,373,000 (up 130.9%)
  5. Soya-bean oil: $4,361,342,000 (up 43.1%)
  6. Sun/safflower/cotton-seed oil: $2,436,937,000 (up 76.4%)
  7. Dried shelled vegetables: $2,085,739,000 (up 48%)
  8. Medications: $1,721,082,000 (up 66.6%)
  9. Antibiotics: $1,578,048,000 (up 78.8%)
  10. Miscellaneous nuts: $1,316,330,000 (up 106.5%)
  11. Miscellaneous plastic items: $1,170,624,000 (up 272%)
  12. Coconuts, Brazil nuts, cashews: $1,151,515,000 (up 57.2%)
  13. Soya beans: $484,293,000 (up 18.4%)
  14. Dates/pineapples/mango/avocado: $406,480,000 (down -1.5%)
  15. Apples, pears (fresh): $400,437,000 (up 4%)
  16. Other organic cleaning preparations: $391,608,000 (up 9.9%)
  17. Plastic packing goods, lids, caps: $366,468,000 (up 60.4%)
  18. Alcohol (including spirits, liqueurs): $295,562,000 (up 67.3%)
  19. Provitamins, vitamins: $227,791,000 (up 56.4%)
  20. Sugar (cane or beet): $182,734,000 (up 56.2%)
  21. Ink: $180,329,000 (up 100%)
  22. Peppers: $180,044,000 (up 51.4%)
  23. Waters with added sugar: $161,149,000 (up 9.6%)
  24. Miscellaneous food preparations: $157,571,000 (up 26.5%)
  25. Sowing seeds, fruits, spores: $139,134,000 (up 1.2%)
  26. Sanitary towels, baby napkins/liners: $123,369,000 (up 52.9%)
  27. Coffee: $117,542,000 (up 62%)
  28. Uncoated paper for writing/printing: $116,426,000 (up 41.4%)
  29. Grapes (fresh or dried): $116,218,000 (down -41.1%)
  30. Cinnamon, cinnamon tree flowers: $109,154,000 (up 42.4%)
  31. Nutmeg, cardamoms: $101,636,000 (up 28.9%

Convenience products led by the products listed above represent the Asian country’s second-most popular import product type attracting India’s most spending after shopping products.

Non-durable consumer products are goods that are not re-used once consumed. Alcoholic beverages and bananas are examples of non-durable goods. Convenience products are uniquely non-durable consumer products.

India’s Most Valuable Imported Shopping Products

Below, the list highlights the most valuable imported shopping products on which buyers in India spent the greatest amounts. Items were selected at the four-digit Harmonized System tariff classification code level and are presented from highest to lowest total amounts.

The percentages displayed to the right of each product name reveal the highest increases or decreases in Indian spending on that specific type of shopping product from 2021 to 2022.

  1. Phone devices including smartphones: US$12,391,532,000 (up 47.2%)
  2. Computers, optical readers: $9,726,199,000 (up 65.4%)
  3. Automobile parts/accessories: $4,750,933,000 (up 59.1%)
  4. Computer parts, accessories: $2,111,080,000 (up 76.4%)
  5. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $1,950,480,000 (up 66.1%)
  6. Packaged insecticides, herbicides: $1,797,155,000 (down -5.5%)
  7. Printing machinery: $1,238,792,000 (up 58.3%)
  8. Microphones/headphones/amplifiers: $1,202,669,000 (up 121.2%)
  9. Insulated wire/cable: $1,074,475,000 (up 62.6%)
  10. Unrecorded sound media: $897,011,000 (up 72.6%)
  11. Screws, bolts, washers, hooks, pins: $867,164,000 (up 21.3%)
  12. Hot-rolled iron/non-alloy steel items: $863,788,000 (up 153.9%)
  13. Miscellaneous iron or steel items: $789,056,000 (up 57.9%)
  14. Vulcanized rubber items: $644,202,000 (up 39.7%)
  15. Aluminum foil: $627,361,000 (up 48%)
  16. Motorcycle parts/accessories: $609,719,000 (up 14.2%)
  17. Orthopedic appliances: $564,767,000 (up 15.9%)
  18. Seats (not barber/dentist chairs): $417,560,000 (up 57.9%)
  19. Lubricant/anti-rust preparations: $391,797,000 (up 30.5%)
  20. Vulcanized rubber apparel: $382,396,000 (up 9.1%)
  21. Miscellaneous furniture: $377,745,000 (up 52.1%)
  22. Cars: $307,805,000 (down -22.6%)
  23. Cases, handbags, wallets: $286,578,000 (up 51.7%)
  24. Prepared glues, adhesives: $270,330,000 (up 38.4%)
  25. Sports equipment: $263,118,000 (up 50.7%)
  26. Soap, organic surface-active goods: $248,938,000 (up 35.8%)
  27. Paints, varnishes: $248,913,000 (up 62.9%)
  28. Footwear (textile): $246,139,000 (up 27%)
  29. Miscellaneous aluminum items: $239,850,000 (up 18.5%)
  30. Rubber tires (new): $227,958,000 (up 22.8%)
  31. Wrist/pocket watches (regular case): $213,864,000 (up 47.4%)
  32. Men’s suits (unknit/non-crochet): $212,490,000 (up 60.1%)
  33. Calculators, cash registers, similar: $176,973,000 (up 26.3%)
  34. Footwear (rubber or plastic): $171,992,000 (up 5.9%)
  35. Electric lamps: $167,713,000 (up 36.6%)
  36. Locks, lock-keys: $148,600,000 (up 13.8%)
  37. Other pharmaceutical goods: $132,937,000 (up 32.6%)
  38. Women’s clothing (not knit/crochet): $116,896,000 (up 66.7%)
  39. Miscellaneous textile items: $115,275,000 (up 98.5%)
  40. T-shirts, vests (knit or crochet): $114,350,000 (up 43.9%)
  41. Insoles, heel cushions: $98,661,000 (up 19.5%)
  42. Trucks: $98,028,000 (up 33.5%)
  43. Paper containers, cellulose wadding: $96,823,000 (up 85.8%)
  44. Jerseys, pullovers (knit or crochet): $96,031,000 (up 29.8%)
  45. Glass bottles, other containers: $94,992,000 (up 218.1%)

Focusing on the scope of this analysis, shopping products is India’s most popular category ahead of both convenience products and speciality items.

Shopping products exceed two-fifths (45) of the overall top 100 Indian imported consumer goods.

Durable consumer products are goods like cars, refrigerators and furniture that last a relatively long time. Consumers can put durable products to use again and again. Note that shopping products and speciality products are considered as durable consumer products.

India’s Most Valuable Imported Speciality Products

Speciality products represent the category with the fewest entries among India’s imports that attracted the country’s spending on imported consumer goods during 2022.

Selected at the four-digit Harmonized System tariff classification code level, the most valuable speciality items are listed in descending order below.

The percentage to the right of each product name reveal highest increases or decreases in 2022 compared to 2021.

  1. Gold (unwrought): US$26,289,276,000 (up 65.3%)
  2. Diamonds (unmounted/unset): $25,710,184,000 (up 62%)
  3. Nitrogenous fertilizers: $3,978,243,000 (up 46.9%)
  4. Fertilizer mixes: $3,141,290,000 (up 73.5%)
  5. Silver (unwrought): $2,102,260,000 (up 34%)
  6. Electric storage batteries: $2,084,322,000 (up 45.8%)
  7. Unstrung precious/semi-precious stones: $1,691,072,000 (up 177.7%)
  8. Liquid pumps: $1,223,330,000 (up 22.5%)
  9. Electric motors, not generating sets: $1,030,094,000 (up 169.1%)
  10. Potassic fertilizers: $925,095,000 (up 94.7%)
  11. Temperature-change machines: $885,774,000 (up 42.2%)
  12. Air conditioners: $813,037,000 (up 70.2%)
  13. Refrigerators, freezers: $708,111,000 (up 94.8%)
  14. Jewelry: $567,593,000 (up 9.5%)
  15. Special hand/machine tools: $558,410,000 (down -52.3%)
  16. Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $520,058,000 (up 35.1%)
  17. Dishwash, clean/dry/fill machines : $510,084,000 (up 115%)
  18. Household base metal mountings: $488,367,000 (up 67.2%)
  19. Liquid crystal/laser/optical tools: $325,173,000 (up 46.3%)
  20. Sewing machines, related furniture: $292,562,000 (up 7.2%)
  21. Beauty/makeup/skin care: $262,097,000 (up 26.5%)
  22. Magnets including electro-magnets: $248,905,000 (up 40%)
  23. Washing machines: $234,826,000 (up 31.6%)
  24. Other printed pictures, photos: $105,639,000 (up 48.7%)

Like shopping products, speciality products are considered as durable consumer products.

Based on the product types identified in the sections above, 69 of India’s 100 highest-value consumer shopper plus speciality products are durable while the remaining 31 convenience products are classified as non-durable.

India’s Overall Fastest-Growing Consumer Imports

Listed below are the top 10 consumer products imported into India that experienced the highest percentage increases in spending from 2020 to 2021.

  1. Miscellaneous plastic items: Up 272% ($1.17 billion)
  2. Glass bottles, other containers: Up 218.1% ($95 million)
  3. Unstrung precious or semi-precious stones: Up 177.7% ($1.69 billion) 
  4. Electric motors excluding generating sets: Up 169.1% ($1 billion)
  5. Items made from hot-rolled iron/non-alloy steel: Up 153.9% ($863.8 million)
  6. Palm oil: Up 130.9% ($5 billion)
  7. Microphones, headphones, amplifiers: Up 121.2% ($1.2 billion)
  8. Dishwashers, other cleaning, drying or filling machines: Up 115% ($510.1 million)
  9. Miscellaneous nuts: Up 106.5% ($1.3 billion)
  10. Ink: Up 100% ($180.3 million)

Among the above triple-digit percentage gainers, 6 items are durable goods that consumers can re-use over time. Those 6 durable items are shopping products like miscellaneous plastic items and glass bottles or other containers, and speciality products like unstrung precious or semi-precious stones.

Such products typically require a comparatively longer time to make a buying decision compared to convenience products.

India’s Overall Worst-Declining Consumer Imports

India’s spending on the following 5 imported items decreased at the greatest pace from 2020 to 2021.

  1. Special hand or machine tools: Down -52.3% ($558.4 million)
  2. Grapes (fresh or dried): Down -41.1% $116.2 million)
  3. Cars: Down -22.6% ($307.8 million)
  4. Packaged insecticides, herbicides: Down -5.5% ($1.8 billion)
  5. Dates/pineapples/mangoes/avocados: Down -1.5% ($406.5 million)

Among the India’s 5 declining imports, fresh or dried grapes and dates, pineapples, mangoes plus avocados are non-durable convenience products consumed one time and are therefore not considered as durable items.

Key Suppliers by Country

This analysis reveals competitive suppliers that target India’s demand for its top 5 consumer import products.

India’s biggest imported consumer product as measured by US-dollar value was gold in 2021. India’s 4 other leading consumer imports are diamonds, coal, petroleum gas and mobile phones.

Below, you will find major supplying countries for India’s imports of the following products.

Gold: Switzerland (48.4% of total), United Arab Emirates (12.6%), South Africa (7.4%), Guinea (5.7%), Peru (4.1%), Bolivia (3.5%), Singapore (2.9%), United States of America (2.3%), Australia (2%), and Ghana (1.8%).

Diamonds: United Arab Emirates (33.3% of total), United States of America (20.6%), Belgium (20.4%), Hong Kong (8.3%), Israel (4.5%), South Africa (3.5%), Russia (3.2%), Botswana (2.2%), Thailand (1.6%), and Japan (0.5%).

Coal: Australia (43.6% of total), Indonesia (23.2%), South Africa (10.2%), United States of America (6.9%), Russia (4.3%), Singapore (3.7%), Mozambique (2.8%), Canada (1.7%), mainland China (1.6%), and Switzerland (1%).

Gas: Qatar (35% of total), United Arab Emirates (20.2%), Saudi Arabia (10.8%), United States of America (8.9%), Kuwait (5.7%), Nigeria (3.5%), Oman (3.1%), Angola (2.6%), Egypt (1.8%), and Singapore (1.2%).

Mobile phones: mainland China (49.8% of total), Hong Kong (17.9%), Vietnam (9.9%), South Korea (3.8%), Singapore (3.3%), United States of America (3%), Taiwan (2%), Malaysia (1.9%), Mexico (1.4%), and Ireland (1.4%).

See also

More great research: India’s Main Imports by Top Supplier Countries, China’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products, South Africa’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products, US Top 100 Imported Consumer Products

References

Independent insights and analysis presented in this article are based on researched facts and statistics sourced from the following educational portals.

BoyceWire, Consumer Goods Definition.

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook: India Economy.

International Trade Centre, Trade Map.

Investopedia, Consumer Goods, Consumer Staples Definition, Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).

Trading Economics, India Consumer Spending.

Wikipedia, List of largest consumer markets.

World’s Top Exports, India’s Top 10 Imports.

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