From a continental perspective, 60.3% of India’s total imports by value in 2018 were purchased from fellow Asian countries. European trade partners supplied 15.8% of import purchased by India while 8.2% worth originated from Africa with another 8.1% coming from exporters in North America. Smaller percentages arrived in India from Latin America (4.2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (2.9%) led by Australia.
Given India’s population of 1.297 billion people, its total $507.6 billion spent on 2018 imports translates to roughly $400 in yearly product demand from every person living in the vast South Asian country.
India’s Top 10 Imports
Top 10
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in India’s import purchases during 2018. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into India.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$168.6 billion (33.2% of total imports)
- Gems, precious metals: $65 billion (12.8%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $52.4 billion (10.3%)
- Machinery including computers: $43.2 billion (8.5%)
- Organic chemicals: $22.6 billion (4.4%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $15.2 billion (3%)
- Iron, steel: $12 billion (2.4%)
- Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: $10.2 billion (2%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $9.5 billion (1.9%)
- Inorganic chemicals: $7.3 billion (1.4%)
India’s top 10 imports accounted for four-fifths (80%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
Imported mineral fuels including oil had the fastest-growing increase in value among India’s top 10 import categories, up 37% year over year.
In second place for expanding import purchases was the inorganic chemicals category via a 29.8% improvement, trailed by the 25.6% increase for organic chemicals and the 20.1% gain for machinery including computers.
The two declining categories for India’s imports were animal and vegetable fats, oils and waxes (down -14.4%) and gems and precious metals (down -12.6%).
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more detailed view of imported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, see the section Searchable List of India’s Most Valuable Import Products further down near the bottom of this article or under the adjacent product folder tabs.
Fuel
In 2018, Indian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Crude oil: US$114.5 billion (up 39.6% from 2017)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $24.6 billion (up 22.5%)
- Petroleum gases: $19 billion (up 45%)
- Processed petroleum oils: $5.7 billion (up 48.7%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $2.2 billion (down -2.5%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $1.8 billion (up 52.6%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $588.8 million (up 48.4%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $121.4 million (up 17.2%)
- Tar pitch, coke: $87 million (up 63.7%)
- Electrical energy: $31.1 million (down -12%)
Among these import subcategories, Indian purchases of tar pitch and coke (up 63.7%), coke or semi-coke (up 52.6%) and processed petroleum oils (up 48.7%) grew at the fastest pace from 2017 to 2018.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imports related to mineral fuels among Indian businesses and consumers.
Precious
In 2018, Indian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of gems and precious metals.
- Gold (unwrought): US$31.8 billion (down -12% from 2017)
- Diamonds (unmounted/unset): $26.7 billion (down -2.2%)
- Silver (unwrought): $3.8 billion (up 28.4%)
- Precious/semi-precious stones (unstrung): $1.1 billion (down -39.5%)
- Jewelry: $658.4 million (down -15.8%)
- Synthetic precious stones: $319.8 million (down -15.5%)
- Platinum (unwrought): $287.5 million (down -9.5%)
- Pearls: $233.1 million (down -92.8%)
- Imitation jewelry: $40.1 million (up 1.7%)
- Precious stone dust, powder: $30.5 million (up 1.3%)
Three among these import subcategories grew from 2017 to 2018 namely Indian purchases of unprocessed silver (up 28.4%), imitation jewelry (up 1.7%) and precious stone dust or powder (up 1.3%).
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported gems and precious metals among Indian businesses and consumers.
Machinery
In 2018, Indian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.
- Computers, optical readers: US$6.3 billion (up 13.1% from 2017)
- Turbo-jets: $3 billion (up 32.9%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $2.2 billion (up 38.6%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $1.8 billion (up 19.2%)
- Computer parts, accessories: $1.6 billion (up 12.9%)
- Printing machinery: $1.5 billion (up 11.2%)
- Machinery parts: $1.4 billion (up 28.1%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $1.4 billion (up 26.6%)
- Air conditioners: $1.3 billion (up 26.3%)
- Piston engine parts: $1.2 billion (up 18.6%)
Among these import subcategories, Indian purchases of miscellaneous machinery (up 38.6%), turbo-jets (up 32.9%) and machinery parts (up 28.1%) grew at the fastest pace from 2017 to 2018.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Indian businesses and consumers.
Chemicals
In 2018, Indian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of organic chemicals.
- Cyclic hydrocarbons: US$2.9 billion (up 30.8% from 2017)
- Acyclic alcohols: $2.3 billion (up 0.01%)
- Heterocyclics, nucleic acids: $2 billion (up 18.1%)
- Saturated acyclic mono acids: $1.6 billion (up 46%)
- Antibiotics: $1.4 billion (up 31.4%)
- Polycarboxylic acids: $1.2 billion (up 50.6%)
- Acyclic hydrocarbons: $1.1 billion (up 54.8%)
- Hydrocarbon derivatives: $846.2 million (up 15.2%)
- Unsaturated acyclic mono acids: $842.5 million (up 22.1%)
- Amine-function compounds: $825 million (up 29.6%)
Among these import subcategories, Indian purchases of acyclic hydrocarbons (up 54.8%), polycarboxylic acids (up 50.6%) and saturated acyclic mono acids (up 46%) grew at the fastest pace from 2017 to 2018.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported organic chemicals among Indian businesses and consumers.
Searchable List of India’s Most Valuable Import Products
At the more granular four-digit HTS code level, India’s top import products are crude oil followed by gold, diamonds, coal, petroleum gas then mobile phones.
The following searchable table displays 200 of India’s most in-demand imported goods during 2018. Shown beside each product label is its total import value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2017.
| Rank | India's Import Product | 2018 Value (US$) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crude oil | $114.5 billion | +39.6% |
| 2 | Gold (unwrought) | $31.8 billion | -12% |
| 3 | Diamonds (unmounted/unset) | $26.7 billion | -2.2% |
| 4 | Coal, solid fuels made from coal | $24.6 billion | +22.5% |
| 5 | Petroleum gases | $19 billion | +45% |
| 6 | Phone system devices including smartphones | $18.8 billion | -8.9% |
| 7 | Integrated circuits/microassemblies | $7.1 billion | +239.1% |
| 8 | Computers, optical readers | $6.3 billion | +13.1% |
| 9 | Processed petroleum oils | $5.7 billion | +48.7% |
| 10 | Palm oil | $5.5 billion | -18.8% |
| 11 | Automobile parts/accessories | $4.8 billion | +10.4% |
| 12 | Silver (unwrought) | $3.8 billion | +28.4% |
| 13 | Solar power diodes/semi-conductors | $3.6 billion | -29.7% |
| 14 | Iron or steel scrap | $3.4 billion | +38.8% |
| 15 | Light vessels, fire boats, floating docks | $3.2 billion | +53.2% |
| 16 | Fertilizer mixes | $3.1 billion | +78.5% |
| 17 | Turbo-jets | $3 billion | +32.9% |
| 18 | Cyclic hydrocarbons | $2.9 billion | +30.8% |
| 19 | Copper ores, concentrates | $2.7 billion | -31% |
| 20 | Ethylene polymers | $2.5 billion | -6.7% |
| 21 | Aluminum waste, scrap | $2.5 billion | +34.6% |
| 22 | Vinyl chloride polymers | $2.3 billion | +16% |
| 23 | Soya-bean oil | $2.3 billion | -17.3% |
| 24 | Acyclic alcohols | $2.3 billion | +0.01% |
| 25 | Miscellaneous machinery | $2.2 billion | +38.6% |
| 26 | Petroleum oil residues | $2.2 billion | -2.5% |
| 27 | Electrical converters/power units | $2.1 billion | +15.6% |
| 28 | TV receivers/monitors/projectors | $2 billion | +20.6% |
| 29 | Heterocyclics, nucleic acids | $2 billion | +18.1% |
| 30 | Polyacetal/ether/carbonates | $1.9 billion | +33.4% |
| 31 | Sun/safflower/cotton-seed oil | $1.9 billion | +2.8% |
| 32 | Phosphoric/polyphosphoric acids | $1.9 billion | +11.1% |
| 33 | Air or vacuum pumps | $1.8 billion | +19.2% |
| 34 | Coke, semi-coke | $1.8 billion | +52.6% |
| 35 | Copper wire | $1.8 billion | +25.9% |
| 36 | Coconuts, Brazil nuts, cashews | $1.7 billion | +16.8% |
| 37 | Electro-medical equip (e.g. xrays) | $1.7 billion | +14.4% |
| 38 | Electric storage batteries | $1.7 billion | +76.3% |
| 39 | TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras | $1.6 billion | +66.1% |
| 40 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $1.6 billion | +23.5% |
| 41 | Saturated acyclic mono acids | $1.6 billion | +46% |
| 42 | Computer parts, accessories | $1.6 billion | +12.9% |
| 43 | Nitrogenous fertilizers | $1.6 billion | +10.3% |
| 44 | Printing machinery | $1.5 billion | +11.2% |
| 45 | Unrecorded sound media | $1.5 billion | -19.9% |
| 46 | Flat-rolled other alloy steel products | $1.5 billion | +0.7% |
| 47 | Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $1.5 billion | +7.1% |
| 48 | Machinery parts | $1.4 billion | +28.1% |
| 49 | Antibiotics | $1.4 billion | +31.4% |
| 50 | Aluminum oxide/hydroxide | $1.4 billion | +69.6% |
| 51 | Taps, valves, similar appliances | $1.4 billion | +26.6% |
| 52 | Packaged insecticides/fungicides/herbicides | $1.3 billion | +7% |
| 53 | Paper/paperboard waste, scrap | $1.3 billion | +66.5% |
| 54 | Air conditioners | $1.3 billion | +26.3% |
| 55 | Physical/chemical analysis tools | $1.3 billion | +8.9% |
| 56 | TV/radio/radar device parts | $1.3 billion | -13.7% |
| 57 | Propylene/olefin polymers | $1.3 billion | +12.9% |
| 58 | Other measuring/testing machines | $1.3 billion | +25.5% |
| 59 | Piston engine parts | $1.2 billion | +18.6% |
| 60 | Ball, roller bearings | $1.2 billion | +28.2% |
| 61 | Transmission shafts, gears, clutches | $1.2 billion | +19.8% |
| 62 | Potassic fertilizers | $1.2 billion | +10.5% |
| 63 | Polycarboxylic acids | $1.2 billion | +50.6% |
| 64 | Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated) | $1.2 billion | +7.8% |
| 65 | Liquid pumps and elevators | $1.2 billion | +24.8% |
| 66 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $1.1 billion | +51.5% |
| 67 | Synthetic rubber | $1.1 billion | +12.4% |
| 68 | Rough wood | $1.1 billion | -7.6% |
| 69 | Insulated wire/cable | $1.1 billion | +16% |
| 70 | Aircraft, spacecraft | $1.1 billion | -58.6% |
| 71 | Miscellaneous nuts | $1.1 billion | +2.8% |
| 72 | Acyclic hydrocarbons | $1.1 billion | +54.8% |
| 73 | Iron ferroalloys | $1.1 billion | +13% |
| 74 | Precious/semi-precious stones (unstrung) | $1.1 billion | -39.5% |
| 75 | Medication mixes in dosage | $1.1 billion | +3.3% |
| 76 | Dried shelled vegetables | $1.1 billion | -73% |
| 77 | Centrifuges, filters and purifiers | $1.1 billion | +24.4% |
| 78 | Iron ores, concentrates | $1 billion | +124.9% |
| 79 | Rubber/plastic article making machines | $1 billion | +4.6% |
| 80 | Electric motors, generators | $1 billion | +38.7% |
| 81 | Iron and steel screws, bolts, nuts, washers | $951.7 million | +17.8% |
| 82 | Breaker vessels | $937.8 million | +17.7% |
| 83 | Natural rubber | $915.3 million | +21% |
| 84 | Regulate/control instruments | $914.5 million | +13% |
| 85 | Ammonia | $910 million | +28.6% |
| 86 | Newsprint (rolls or sheets) | $909.4 million | +7.9% |
| 87 | Miscellaneous plastic items | $909.3 million | +1.7% |
| 88 | Iron or steel tubes, pipes | $904.1 million | +82.3% |
| 89 | Copper waste, scrap | $895.4 million | +12.9% |
| 90 | Piston engines | $895 million | +27.5% |
| 91 | Microphones/headphones/amps | $893.7 million | +29.6% |
| 92 | Chemical industry products/residuals | $878.9 million | +15% |
| 93 | Unrefined copper | $849.3 million | -3.6% |
| 94 | Electric circuit parts, fuses, switches | $847.8 million | +14.7% |
| 95 | Hydrocarbon derivatives | $846.2 million | +15.2% |
| 96 | Unsaturated acyclic mono acids | $842.5 million | +22.1% |
| 97 | Miscellaneous iron or steel items | $837.1 million | +29.6% |
| 98 | Amine-function compounds | $825 million | +29.6% |
| 99 | Other coloring matter, luminophores | $807 million | +14.7% |
| 100 | Phenols/phenol-alcohols | $794.6 million | +39.4% |
| 101 | X-ray equipment | $787.2 million | +23.1% |
| 102 | Aluminum (unwrought) | $770.5 million | -4% |
| 103 | Natural calcium/aluminum calcium phosphates | $759.2 million | +11.2% |
| 104 | Blood fractions (including antisera) | $756.2 million | +31% |
| 105 | Amino-compounds (oxygen) | $752.7 million | +23.6% |
| 106 | Manganese ores, concentrates | $743.3 million | -4.4% |
| 107 | Electrical machinery | $701.7 million | +14.4% |
| 108 | Amino-resins | $701.6 million | +25.3% |
| 109 | Temperature-change machines | $701.5 million | +11.4% |
| 110 | Moulding boxes/base | $695.4 million | +14.3% |
| 111 | Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels | $693.1 million | +22.6% |
| 112 | Cruise/cargo ships, barges | $692.6 million | -17.4% |
| 113 | Aluminum plates, sheets, strips | $680.8 million | +63.8% |
| 114 | Motorcycle parts/accessories | $676.7 million | +33.1% |
| 115 | Coated paper | $668 million | -8% |
| 116 | Industrial fatty acids and alcohols | $667.4 million | +20% |
| 117 | Lamps, lighting, illuminated signs | $667.1 million | -1.7% |
| 118 | Jewelry | $658.4 million | -15.8% |
| 119 | Lead (unwrought) | $646 million | +11.6% |
| 120 | Flat-rolled stainless steel items | $643.1 million | +21% |
| 121 | Ketones, quinones | $643 million | +24.4% |
| 122 | Vulcanized rubber items | $638.4 million | +18.4% |
| 123 | Electrical capacitators | $630.9 million | +77.3% |
| 124 | Acrylic polymers | $628.3 million | +23.9% |
| 125 | Cotton (uncarded, uncombed) | $625.4 million | -35% |
| 126 | Printed circuits | $621.9 million | +46% |
| 127 | Miscellaneous furniture | $615.7 million | -0.1% |
| 128 | Polyamides | $614.1 million | +43.5% |
| 129 | Nitrile-function compounds | $610.4 million | +63.7% |
| 130 | Lifting/loading machinery | $607.3 million | +36.4% |
| 131 | Zinc (unwrought) | $606.7 million | +17.4% |
| 132 | Initiators/accelerators, catalytic preps | $594.6 million | +26.3% |
| 133 | Other machine parts, accessories | $590 million | +43.9% |
| 134 | Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation) | $588.8 million | +48.4% |
| 135 | Machine-tool for metal | $588.6 million | +30.8% |
| 136 | Refined copper, unwrought alloys | $586.9 million | +138.6% |
| 137 | Sugar (cane or beet) | $578 million | -45.2% |
| 138 | Aluminum foil (thin) | $570.5 million | +27.5% |
| 139 | Chemical woodpulp (non-dissolving) | $559.5 million | +15.6% |
| 140 | Aircraft parts | $552.2 million | -62.3% |
| 141 | Interchangeable hand/machine tools | $542.6 million | +9% |
| 142 | Refrigerators, freezers | $538.6 million | +0.02% |
| 143 | Orthopedic appliances | $523.2 million | +6.4% |
| 144 | Nickel (unwrought) | $519 million | +27% |
| 145 | Dishwashing, clean/dry/fill machines | $518.1 million | +10.6% |
| 146 | Oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers | $514.8 million | +26.8% |
| 147 | Metal-working machinery | $506.8 million | +116% |
| 148 | Tugboats, pusher craft | $504.9 million | -14.2% |
| 149 | Weaving machines (loom) | $502.3 million | +7% |
| 150 | Miscellaneous heterocyclics | $498.1 million | +11.5% |
| 151 | Move/grade/scrape/boring machinery | $495.4 million | +8.7% |
| 152 | Chemical woodpulp (dissolving) | $483.5 million | -9.4% |
| 153 | Miscellaneous iron or steel tubes, pipes | $479.9 million | +46.9% |
| 154 | Miscellaneous animal feed preparations | $476.4 million | +29.3% |
| 155 | Synthetic filament yarn | $467.5 million | +10% |
| 156 | Other diagnostic/lab reagents | $458.1 million | +10.9% |
| 157 | Limestone, other calcareous stone | $453.6 million | +25.9% |
| 158 | Cases, handbags, wallets | $452.3 million | +31.7% |
| 159 | Rubber tires (new) | $447.4 million | -2.1% |
| 160 | Miscellaneous iron and steel structures | $446.1 million | +10.6% |
| 161 | Electric motor parts | $442 million | -7.2% |
| 162 | Textile fabrics with plastics | $440.4 million | +3.4% |
| 163 | Copper tubes, pipes | $435.1 million | +23.6% |
| 164 | Seats (excluding barber/dentist chairs) | $434.4 million | +23.8% |
| 165 | Carboxylic acids | $429.7 million | +9.3% |
| 166 | Base metal mountings, fittings | $426.9 million | +25.3% |
| 167 | Sawn wood | $421.7 million | +14.7% |
| 168 | Spray/dispersing mechanical appliances | $420.3 million | +43.2% |
| 169 | Self-adhesive plastic in rolls | $419.6 million | +27.8% |
| 170 | Carbonates, percarbonates | $417.9 million | +27.1% |
| 171 | Alloy steel bars, rods | $410.8 million | +24.3% |
| 172 | Other organic compounds | $408.9 million | +4.2% |
| 173 | Cellulose/chemical derivatives | $406.3 million | +24.3% |
| 174 | Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers) | $402.5 million | +22.6% |
| 175 | Metal-rolling mills | $398.6 million | +86.3% |
| 176 | Auxiliary machines | $396.8 million | +3.9% |
| 177 | Liquid crystal/laser/optical tools | $395.1 million | -8.3% |
| 178 | Derricks, cranes | $388.4 million | -21.5% |
| 179 | Essential oils | $388.1 million | +42.6% |
| 180 | Miscellaneous engines, motors | $384.2 million | +38% |
| 181 | Cellulose fiber paper | $384.1 million | +20.3% |
| 182 | Engines (diesel) | $381.3 million | -3.9% |
| 183 | Carbon blacks, other forms of carbon | $379.9 million | +127.5% |
| 184 | Stone items, other mineral substances | $370.8 million | +83.3% |
| 185 | Styrene polymers | $369 million | +19% |
| 186 | Cold-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $365.4 million | +49.6% |
| 187 | Other nitrogen compounds | $364.7 million | +10.3% |
| 188 | Synthetic organic coloring | $358.4 million | +13.5% |
| 189 | Rubber accelerators, plasticizers | $356.6 million | +27.8% |
| 190 | Electric water heaters, hair dryers | $355.2 million | +22.7% |
| 191 | Heterocyclics, oxygen | $348 million | +25.9% |
| 192 | Uranium/thorium ores, concentrates | $345.4 million | +520.7% |
| 193 | Electrical lighting/signaling equpment, defrosters | $344.2 million | +27.7% |
| 194 | Plastic packing goods, lids, caps | $344 million | +16.4% |
| 195 | Cutting-oil preparations, lubricants | $342.4 million | +17.4% |
| 196 | Sort/screen/washing machinery | $339.8 million | +33.2% |
| 197 | Dates/figs/pineapples/mangoes/avocadoes/guavas | $336.9 million | -2.2% |
| 198 | Textile fiber work machines | $331.5 million | -13.9% |
| 199 | Apples, pears (fresh) | $325.6 million | +0.2% |
| 200 | Synthetic precious stones | $319.8 million | -15.5% |
These 200 imported goods were worth a subtotal of US$448 billion or 88.3% by value for all products imported into India during 2018.
See also India’s Top 10 Exports, India’s Top Trading Partners, Top Indian Trade Balances and India’s Top 10 Major Export Companies
Research Sources:
The World Factbook, Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed March 8, 2019
Trade Map, International Trade Centre. Accessed on March 8, 2019