The Republic of India imported US$570.4 billion worth of products from around the globe during 2021, up by 55% from $368 billion in 2020.

This article presents a quick reference snapshot of India’s main imported products categorized by dollar amount and major trading partners.

Data is organized by overall metrics then drill down to India’s most valuable imports during 2021 for each of India’s top 10 supplier countries. Those leading trading partners accounted for almost three-fifths (57.1%) of India’s import purchases.

Product categories shown summarize calculations at the two-digit Harmonized System code level. Two-digit codes enable higher-level insights and trends for Indian imports and each of the top supplier countries.

India’s Main Imports from China

India shares its second-longest land border with China (after Bangladesh). This geography proximity facilitates trade between the neighboring Asian countries.

In 2021, China’s exports to India amounted to $87.5 billion or 15.3% of overall Indian imports.

That dollar amount represents a 48.9% gain compared to 2020.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 88.1% of India’s imports from mainland China.

Electronic equipment: $26.4 billion
Machinery: $18.8 billion
Organic chemicals: $11.9 billion
Plastics: $4.2 billion
Fertilizers: $2.7 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $2.4 billion
Vehicles: $1.7 billion
Other chemical goods: $1.7 billion
Iron or steel products: $1.6 billion
Iron and steel: $1.2 billion
Man-made filaments: $992.7 million
Aluminum: $978.4 million
Tanning, dyeing extracts: $884.1 million
Inorganic chemicals: $881.3 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $787.2 million

The strongest increases in spending from 2020 to 2021 were for Indian imports from China under the mineral fuels including oil (up 172.6%), man-made filaments (up 122.4%), plastics (up 92.6%), tanning and dye extracts (up 69.8%), fertilizers (up 60.6%) and medical or technical equipment (up 54.1%) product categories.

Posting the smallest improvements among India’s top 15 imported products from China were iron or steel products (up 31.8%) and miscellaneous chemical goods (up 31.8%).

India’s Main Imports from the UAE

In 2021, the United Arab Emirates’ exports to India amounted to $43.1 billion or 7.6% of overall Indian imports.

That dollar amount represents an 80.2% gain compared to 2020.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 97.5% of India’s imports from the UAE.

Mineral fuels including oil: $19.3 billion
Gems, precious metals: $16.2 billion
Plastics: $1.3 billion
Salt, sulphur, stone, cement: $799.4 million
Iron and steel: $794.5 million
Ships, boats: $573.6 million
Aluminum: $475.1 million
Copper: $469.7 million
Fertilizers: $452.3 million
Organic chemicals: $389.3 million
Machinery: $354.5 million
Electronic equipment: $323 million
Fruits, nuts: $288.6 million
Ores, slag, ash: $158.1 million
Inorganic chemicals: $138 million

The only increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Indian imports from the US under the fruits and nuts (up 4.9%) and beverages (up 2.3%) product categories.

Posting the severest declines among India’s top 15 imported products were machinery (down -36.1%), woodpulp (down -34.8%), gems and precious metals (down -33.8%), electronic equipment (down -29.7%), iron and steel as materials (down -24.2%), medical or technical equipment (down -19.6%) then organic chemicals (down -17.4%) and mineral fuels including oil (down -17%).

Triple-digit gains from 2020 to 2021 were spent by Indian importers from the UAE under the inorganic chemicals product category (up 195.3%), ores, slag and ash (up 164.6%), gems and precious metals (up 137.8%) then iron or steel (up 105.7%).

There was a pair of decliners among India’s top 15 imported products from the UAE, namely ships and boats (down -20.7% from 2020) and copper (down -2%).

Posting the severest declines among India’s top 15 imported products were iron and steel as materials (down -37.3%), organic chemicals (down -27.2%), copper (down -26.2%), gems and precious metals (down -22%), mineral fuels including oil (down -19.8%), fertilizers (down -18.5%) and machinery (down -15.4%).

India’s Main Imports from the US

In 2021, the United States of America’s exports to India amounted to $41.4 billion or 7.3% of overall Indian imports.

That dollar amount represents a 55.5% gain compared to 2020.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 91.5% of India’s imports from the United States.

Mineral fuels including oil: $15.4 billion
Gems, precious metals: $7.1 billion
Machinery: $3.2 billion
Organic chemicals: $1.9 billion
Electronic equipment: $1.7 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $1.7 billion
Other chemical goods: $1.2 billion
Plastics: $1.2 billion
Woodpulp: $961.6 million
Fruits, nuts: $864.8 million
Aluminum: $831 million
Pharmaceuticals: $537 million
Iron and steel: $466.8 million
Inorganic chemicals: $457.9 million
Vehicles: $413 million

The most rapid increases from 2020 to 2021 were for Indian imports from the US under the mineral fuels including oil (up 124.8%), woodpulp (up 105.4%), pharmaceuticals (up 78.5%), aluminum (up 74.5%), gems and precious metals (up 58.2%) and miscellaneous chemical goods (up 44.1%) product categories.

Posting mild declines among India’s top 15 imported products from America were fruits and nuts (down -3.1%) and inorganic chemicals (down -0.1%).

India’s Main Imports from Switzerland

In 2021, Switzerland’s exports to India amounted to $29.5 billion or 5.2% of overall Indian imports.

That dollar amount represents a 160.7% spike compared to 2020.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 99.2% of India’s imports from Switzerland.

Gems, precious metals: $27.1 billion
Pharmaceuticals: $372.7 million
Mineral fuels including oil: $332 million
Machinery: $326.8 million
Medical, technical equipment: $279.6 million
Animal/vegetable fats and oils: $184.2 million
Clocks, watches: $176.4 million
Organic chemicals: $148 million
Electronic equipment: $139.1 million
Iron and steel: $60.9 million
Other chemical goods: $43.9 million
Plastics: $41.5 million
Tanning, dyeing extracts: $24.2 million
Nickel: $23.2 million
Copper: $21.2 million

The most intense increases from 2020 to 2021 were for Indian imports from Switzerland under the gems and precious metals led by gold (up 186.2%), nickel (up 106.9%), copper (up 94.4%) and mineral fuels including oil (up 91.5%).

Incurring flatlining gains among India’s top 15 imported products from Switzerland were electronic equipment (up 1.1%) and miscellaneous chemical goods (up 0.3%)

India’s Main Imports from Saudi Arabia

In 2021, Saudi Arabia’s exports to India amounted to $27.7 billion or 4.9% of overall Indian imports.

That dollar amount represents a 56.2% gain compared to 2020.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 99.4% of India’s imports from Saudi Arabia.

Mineral fuels including oil: $22.1 billion
Organic chemicals: $1.6 billion
Fertilizers: $1.4 billion
Plastics: $878.7 million
Aluminum: $344.9 million
Inorganic chemicals: $265.6 million
Other chemical goods: $257.2 million
Copper: $168.6 million
Ores, slag, ash: $128.1 million
Ships, boats: $122.1 million
Iron and steel: $76 million
Salt, sulphur, stone, cement: $57.7 million
Gems, precious metals: $49.3 million
Rubber: $38.8 million
Tanning, dyeing extracts: $36.5 million

Indian imports from Saudi Arabia of highly capital-intensive ships and boats experienced a 7,075% spike compared to 2020. Other leading gainers were the ores, slag and ash (up 665.3%), salt, sulphur, stone and cement (up 459.3%), rubber (up 172.7%), tanning and dyeing extracts (up 163.6%) then organic chemicals (up 113.8%).

Posting the line declines among India’s top 15 imported products from Saudi Arabia was the gems and precious metals category via a -21.3% reduction from 2020.

India’s Main Imports from Iraq

In 2021, Iraq’s exports to India amounted to $26.6 billion or 4.7% of overall Indian imports.

That dollar amount represents a 64.3% gain compared to 2020.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 99.99998% of India’s imports from Iraq.

Mineral fuels including oil: $26.5 billion
Fruits, nuts: $90.2 million
Ships, boats: $19.2 million
Other chemical goods: $2.9 million
Raw hides excluding furskins: $1.3 million
Salt, sulphur, stone, cement: $934,000
Woodpulp: $342,000
Wool: $310,000
Medical, technical equipment: $134,000
Machinery: $99,000
Soaps, lubricants, candles: $28,000
Tanning, dyeing extracts: $26,000
Vegetables: $24,000
Other base metal goods: $2,000
Electronic equipment: $1,000

Fastest increases from 2020 to 2021 were for Indian imports from Iraq under the medical or technical equipment product category (up 306.1%), miscellaneous chemical goods (up 132.7%), minerals fuels including oil (up 64.5%), raw hides excluding furskins (up 42.7%), then fruits and nuts (up 22.2%).

There was a trio of reductions among India’s top 15 imported products from Iraq, namely electronic equipment (down -83.3%), wool (down -27.2%) and capital-intensive ships and boats (down -7.3%).

India’s Main Imports from Hong Kong

In 2021, Hong Kong’s exports to India amounted to $18.2 billion or 3.2% of overall Indian imports.

That dollar amount represents a 24.9% gain compared to 2020.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 97.1% of India’s imports from Hong Kong.

Electronic equipment: $8.6 billion
Gems, precious metals: $5.5 billion
Machinery: $2.2 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $383.3 million
Plastics: $310.2 million
Organic chemicals: $138.6 million
Woodpulp: $115.1 million
Clocks, watches: $99.2 million
Iron and steel: $97.1 million
Iron or steel products: $59.7 million
Special woven/tufted fabric: $56.6 million
Other chemical goods: $53.7 million
Other base metal goods: $52.9 million
Aluminum: $49.8 million
Other manufactured products: $45.3 million

Greatest expansions from 2020 to 2021 were for Indian imports from Hong Kong under the iron and steel product category (up 83.2%), clocks and watches (up 69.3%), woodpulp (up 44.2%) and miscellaneous goods made from base metal (up 42.6%).

Posting shrinkage among India’s top 15 imported products from Hong Kong was aluminum (down -34.8% from 2020) and organic chemicals (down -2.3%).

India’s Main Imports from Singapore

In 2021, Singapore’s exports to India amounted to $18.2 billion or 3.2% of overall Indian imports.

That dollar amount represents a 47.9% gain compared to 2020.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 92.7% of India’s imports from Singapore.

Machinery: $2.98 billion
Electronic equipment: $2.97 billion
Mineral fuels including oil: $2.3 billion
Gems, precious metals: $1.8 billion
Organic chemicals: $1.4 billion
Plastics: $1.3 billion
Ships, boats: $1 billion
Medical, technical equipment: $974.6 million
Iron and steel: $473.5 million
Animal/vegetable fats and oils: $436.6 million
Other chemical goods: $420.1 million
Rubber: $248.6 million
Vehicles: $227.8 million
Iron or steel products: $143.2 million
Aluminum: $133.2 million

Fastest increases from 2020 to 2021 were for Indian imports from Singapore under the gems and precious metals product category (up 255.5%) trailed by mineral fuels including oil (up 106.9%), animal or vegetable fats and oils (up 95.4%), aluminum (up 68.2%), vehicles (up 65.2%), then iron and steel (up 64.4%).

The sole reduction among India’s top 15 imported products from Singapore belongs to ships and boats due to an -8.6% setback.

India’s Main Imports from South Korea

In 2021, South Korea’s exports to India amounted to $17.1 billion or 3% of overall Indian imports.

That dollar amount represents a 40.3% gain compared to 2020.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 91.4% of India’s imports from South Korea.

Electronic equipment: $2.8 billion
Iron and steel: $2.5 billion
Plastics: $2.2 billion
Machinery: $1.9 billion
Mineral fuels including oil: $1.5 billion
Organic chemicals: $1.3 billion
Vehicles: $865.6 million
Medical, technical equipment: $444.6 million
Iron or steel products: $401.6 million
Rubber: $376.4 million
Other chemical goods: $307.8 million
Zinc: $306.1 million
Ships, boats: $274 million
Inorganic chemicals: $226.6 million
Aluminum: $225.6 million

The leading increases from 2020 to 2021 were for Indian imports from South Korea under the ships and boats (up 203.1%), mineral fuels including oil (up 131.3%), organic chemicals (up 73.9%), plastics (up 69.8%), rubber (up 67.9%), aluminum (up 64.6%) and iron or steel (up 61.1%) product categories.

The lone reduction among India’s top 15 imported products from South Korea was miscellaneous chemical goods thanks to a -13.2% downturn.

India’s Main Imports from Indonesia

In 2021, Indonesia’s exports to India amounted to $16.7 billion or 2.9% of overall Indian imports.

That dollar amount represents a 39.1% gain compared to 2020.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 89.4% of India’s imports from Indonesia.

Mineral fuels including oil: $6.3 billion
Animal/vegetable fats and oils: $4 billion
Iron and steel: $928.8 million
Other chemical goods: $641.7 million
Ores, slag, ash: $518.4 million
Ships, boats: $374.6 million
Rubber: $323.4 million
Organic chemicals: $298.6 million
Inorganic chemicals: $275.5 million
Tin: $247.3 million
Fertilizers: $234.8 million
Machinery: $217.3 million
Soaps, lubricants, candles: $207.4 million
Electronic equipment: $189.2 million
Wood: $171.5 million

Triple-digit increases from 2020 to 2021 were generated by Indian imports from Indonesia under the ships and boats product category (up 277.3%) ahead of iron and steel (up 273.1%) and ores, slag and ash (up 110.7%).

There was one decliner among India’s top 15 imported products from Indonesia, namely fertilizers which slipped -14.3% compared to 2020.

References

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

International Trade Centre, Trade Map.

Wikipedia, India, Borders of India.

World’s Top Exports, Import News.

India’s Main Imports by Top Supplier Countries