Mumbai fruits, vegetables
From January to July 2018, India’s imported goods were valued at $292 billion. This 7-month metric puts Indian imports on track for an annualized $500.6 billion estimated for all 2018.
From a continental perspective, 57.5% of India’s total imports by value in 2017 were purchased from other Asian countries. European trade partners supplied 17.2% of import purchases by India while 7.9% worth originated from Africa with 7.3% coming from exporters in North America. At 4.5%, a smaller portion arrived in India from Latin America (excluding Mexico) and the Caribbean.
Given India’s population of 1.282 billion people, its total $444.1 billion spent on 2017 imports translates to roughly $350 in yearly product demand from every person 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 2017. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into India.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$123 billion (27.7% of total imports)
- Gems, precious metals: $74.4 billion (16.7%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $46.9 billion (10.6%)
- Machinery including computers: $36 billion (8.1%)
- Organic chemicals: $18 billion (4%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $13 billion (2.9%)
- Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: $11.9 billion (2.7%)
- Iron, steel: $10 billion (2.2%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $8.4 billion (1.9%)
- Ores, slag, ash: $5.9 billion (1.3%)
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.
India’s top 10 imports accounted for almost four-fifths (78.2%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
Imported ores, slag and ash had the fastest-growing increase in value among the top 10 import categories, up 57.3% year over year.
In second place for improving import sales was the gems and precious metals category via a 54.5% improvement. Then came Indian imports of mineral fuels including oil, which recorded the third-fastest gain up 37.8%.
Machinery including computers was the laggard among the top 10 Indian import categories, posting a respectable 10.7% uptick.
Also see the section Searchable List of India’s Most Valuable Import Products further down near the bottom of this article.
Fuel
In 2017, Indian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products:
- Crude oil: US$82 billion (up 34.8% from 2016)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $20.1 billion (up 58.1%)
- Petroleum gases: $13.1 billion (up 36.5%)
- Processed petroleum oils: $3.8 billion (up 4.1%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $2.2 billion (up 50.1%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $1.2 billion (up 68.7%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $396.9 million (up 170.2%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $103.6 million (up 8.6%)
- Tar pitch, coke: $53.2 million (up 106.2%)
- Electrical energy: $35.3 million (up 150.6%)
Among these import subcategories, India’s purchases of high-temperature distilled coal tar oils (up 170.2%), electrical energy (up 150.6%) and tar pitch or coke (up 106.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2016 to 2017.
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 2017, Indian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of gems and precious metals:
- Gold (unwrought): US$36.1 billion (up 57.5% from 2016)
- Diamonds (unmounted/unset): $27.3 billion (up 43.9%)
- Pearls: $3.2 billion (up 118.3%)
- Silver (unwrought): $3 billion (up 63.6%)
- Precious/semi-precious stones (unstrung): $1.8 billion (down -12.8%)
- Goldsmith/silversmith wares: $1.3 billion (up 3309.5%)
- Jewelry: $782.2 million (up 120%)
- Synthetic precious stones: $378.5 million (up 82.5%)
- Platinum (unwrought): $317.8 million (up 75.9%)
- Imitation jewelry: $39.4 million (up 34.4%)
Among these import subcategories, India’s purchases of goldsmith or silversmith wares (up 3,310%), jewelry (up 120%) and pearls (up 118.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2016 to 2017.
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.
Electronics
In 2017, Indian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics products including consumer electronics:
- Phone system devices including smartphones: US$20.6 billion (up 40% from 2016)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $5.1 billion (up 39.2%)
- Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $2.1 billion (up 28.3%)
- Unrecorded sound media: $1.9 billion (up 3.7%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $1.9 billion (up 25.2%)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $1.7 billion (up 6.2%)
- TV/radio/radar device parts: $1.5 billion (up 7.8%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $1.3 billion (up 13.9%)
- TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras: $963.6 million (up 43%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $954.4 million (up 21.2%)
Among these import subcategories, India’s purchases of TV receivers, transmitters and digital cameras (up 43%), phone system devices including smartphones (up 40%) and solar power diodes or semi-conductors (up 39.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2016 to 2017.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among Indian businesses and consumers.
Machinery
In 2017, Indian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery:
- Computers, optical readers: US$5.6 billion (up 20.8% from 2016)
- Turbo-jets: $2.3 billion (up 101.2%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $1.6 billion (up 12.7%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $1.5 billion (up 9.3%)
- Computer parts, accessories: $1.4 billion (up 10%)
- Printing machinery: $1.4 billion (up 15.4%)
- Machinery parts: $1.1 billion (up 7.9%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $1.1 billion (down -47.5%)
- Air conditioners: $1.1 billion (up 22.3%)
- Piston engine parts: $1 billion (up 23.9%)
Among these import subcategories, India’s purchases of turbo-jets (up 101.2%), piston engine parts (up 23.9%) and air conditioners (up 22.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2016 to 2017.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Indian businesses and consumers.
Searchable List of India’s Most Valuable Import Products
At the more granular four-digit HTS code level, India’s top import products are crude oil followed by gold, diamonds, mobile phones then coal.
The following searchable table displays 200 of India’s most in-demand imported goods during 2017. Shown beside each product label is its total import value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2016.
| Rank | Indian Import Product | 2017 Value (US$) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crude oil | $82 billion | +34.8% |
| 2 | Gold (unwrought) | $36.1 billion | +57.5% |
| 3 | Diamonds (unmounted/unset) | $27.3 billion | +43.9% |
| 4 | Phone system devices including smartphones | $20.6 billion | +40% |
| 5 | Coal, solid fuels made from coal | $20.1 billion | +58.1% |
| 6 | Petroleum gases | $13.1 billion | +36.5% |
| 7 | Palm oil | $6.8 billion | +20% |
| 8 | Computers, optical readers | $5.6 billion | +20.8% |
| 9 | Solar power diodes/semi-conductors | $5.1 billion | +39.2% |
| 10 | Automobile parts/accessories | $4.4 billion | +18.6% |
| 11 | Dried shelled vegetables | $3.9 billion | -2.1% |
| 12 | Copper ores, concentrates | $3.9 billion | +58.7% |
| 13 | Processed petroleum oils | $3.8 billion | +4.1% |
| 14 | Pearls | $3.2 billion | +118.3% |
| 15 | Silver (unwrought) | $3 billion | +63.6% |
| 16 | Soya-bean oil | $2.8 billion | -8.7% |
| 17 | Ethylene polymers | $2.7 billion | +6.6% |
| 18 | Aircraft, spacecraft | $2.7 billion | +219.1% |
| 19 | Iron or steel scrap | $2.5 billion | +14.5% |
| 20 | Turbo-jets | $2.3 billion | +101.2% |
| 21 | Acyclic alcohols | $2.3 billion | +29% |
| 22 | Petroleum oil residues | $2.2 billion | +50.1% |
| 23 | Cyclic hydrocarbons | $2.2 billion | +5.4% |
| 24 | Integrated circuits/microassemblies | $2.1 billion | +28.3% |
| 25 | Light vessels, fire boats, floating docks | $2.1 billion | -19% |
| 26 | Vinyl chloride polymers | $2 billion | +12.6% |
| 27 | Unrecorded sound media | $1.9 billion | +3.7% |
| 28 | Sun/safflower/cotton-seed oil | $1.9 billion | +41.7% |
| 29 | Electrical converters/power units | $1.9 billion | +25.2% |
| 30 | Aluminum waste, scrap | $1.8 billion | +38.1% |
| 31 | Precious/semi-precious stones (unstrung) | $1.8 billion | -12.8% |
| 32 | Fertilizer mixes | $1.7 billion | -12% |
| 33 | Heterocyclics, nucleic acids | $1.7 billion | +43.1% |
| 34 | Phosphoric/polyphosphoric acids | $1.7 billion | +3.3% |
| 35 | TV receivers/monitors/projectors | $1.7 billion | +6.2% |
| 36 | Miscellaneous machinery | $1.6 billion | +12.7% |
| 37 | Air or vacuum pumps | $1.5 billion | +9.3% |
| 38 | Flat-rolled other alloy steel products | $1.5 billion | +17.6% |
| 39 | Coconuts, cashews | $1.5 billion | +23.6% |
| 40 | Electro-medical equip (e.g. xrays) | $1.5 billion | +13.5% |
| 41 | TV/radio/radar device parts | $1.5 billion | +7.8% |
| 42 | Aircraft parts | $1.5 billion | -30% |
| 43 | Polyacetal/ether/carbonates | $1.4 billion | +21.2% |
| 44 | Nitrogenous fertilizers | $1.4 billion | -9.9% |
| 45 | Copper wire | $1.4 billion | +57.8% |
| 46 | Computer parts, accessories | $1.4 billion | +10% |
| 47 | Printing machinery | $1.4 billion | +15.4% |
| 48 | Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $1.4 billion | +22.4% |
| 49 | Goldsmith/silversmith wares | $1.3 billion | +3,309% |
| 50 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $1.3 billion | +13.9% |
| 51 | Packaged insecticides/fungicides/herbicides | $1.3 billion | +34.4% |
| 52 | Rough wood | $1.2 billion | -5.7% |
| 53 | Wheat | $1.2 billion | +191.2% |
| 54 | Physical/chemical analysis tools | $1.2 billion | +10.3% |
| 55 | Coke, semi-coke | $1.2 billion | +68.7% |
| 56 | Machinery parts | $1.1 billion | +7.9% |
| 57 | Propylene/olefin polymers | $1.1 billion | +27.8% |
| 58 | Taps, valves, similar appliances | $1.1 billion | -47.5% |
| 59 | Antibiotics | $1.1 billion | +10.5% |
| 60 | Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated) | $1.1 billion | +40.1% |
| 61 | Potassic fertilizers | $1.1 billion | +6.3% |
| 62 | Saturated acyclic mono acids | $1.1 billion | +22.2% |
| 63 | Miscellaneous nuts | $1.1 billion | +18.4% |
| 64 | Sugar (cane or beet) | $1.1 billion | +14.3% |
| 65 | Air conditioners | $1.1 billion | +22.3% |
| 66 | Piston engine parts | $1 billion | +23.9% |
| 67 | Medication mixes in dosage | $1 billion | +11% |
| 68 | Transmission shafts, gears, clutches | $1 billion | +0.1% |
| 69 | Synthetic rubber | $1 billion | +27.9% |
| 70 | Other measuring/testing machines | $1 billion | +21% |
| 71 | Rubber/plastic article making machines | $979.7 million | +12.7% |
| 72 | TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras | $963.6 million | +43% |
| 73 | Ball, roller bearings | $963.3 million | +8.2% |
| 74 | Cotton (uncarded, uncombed) | $961.6 million | +9.4% |
| 75 | Iron ferroalloys | $961.4 million | +28.9% |
| 76 | Insulated wire/cable | $954.4 million | +21.2% |
| 77 | Electric storage batteries | $946.4 million | +22.5% |
| 78 | Liquid pumps and elevators | $923.8 million | +16% |
| 79 | Miscellaneous plastic items | $894.5 million | +1% |
| 80 | Unrefined copper | $881.1 million | +27.1% |
| 81 | Centrifuges, filters and purifiers | $852.6 million | +15.5% |
| 82 | Aluminum oxide/hydroxide | $848 million | +95.5% |
| 83 | Newsprint (rolls or sheets) | $842.8 million | -0.2% |
| 84 | Cruise/cargo ships, barges | $838.7 million | +2.8% |
| 85 | Regulate/control instruments | $809.2 million | +10% |
| 86 | Iron and steel screws, bolts, nuts, washers | $808.1 million | +16.7% |
| 87 | Aluminum (unwrought) | $802.4 million | +1.5% |
| 88 | Paper/paperboard waste, scrap | $799.4 million | +21.8% |
| 89 | Breaker vessels | $796.7 million | +6.6% |
| 90 | Copper waste, scrap | $793.4 million | +18.6% |
| 91 | Polycarboxylic acids | $788.6 million | +26.3% |
| 92 | Jewelry | $782.2 million | +120% |
| 93 | Manganese ores, concentrates | $777.3 million | +221.8% |
| 94 | Chemical industry products/residuals | $764 million | +15.8% |
| 95 | Natural rubber | $756.4 million | +15.3% |
| 96 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $747.3 million | +16.7% |
| 97 | Electric circuit parts, fuses, switches | $738.9 million | +14.1% |
| 98 | Electric motors, generators | $736.9 million | +8.7% |
| 99 | Hydrocarbon derivatives | $734.5 million | +32.9% |
| 100 | Coated paper | $726.4 million | +31.4% |
| 101 | Ammonia | $707.5 million | -6.1% |
| 102 | Acyclic hydrocarbons | $706.5 million | +168.6% |
| 103 | Other coloring matter, luminophores | $703.3 million | +33.3% |
| 104 | Piston engines | $702.1 million | +44.5% |
| 105 | Unsaturated acyclic mono acids | $690.1 million | +37.9% |
| 106 | Microphones/headphones/amps | $689.8 million | +33.2% |
| 107 | Natural calcium phosphates | $682.4 million | -13.1% |
| 108 | Lamps, lighting, illuminated signs | $678.4 million | +23.4% |
| 109 | Miscellaneous iron or steel items | $646 million | +4.6% |
| 110 | X-ray equipment | $639.4 million | +19.5% |
| 111 | Amine-function compounds | $636.3 million | +13.6% |
| 112 | Temperature-change machines | $629.7 million | -4.5% |
| 113 | Miscellaneous furniture | $616.4 million | +17.3% |
| 114 | Electrical machinery | $613.1 million | -9.4% |
| 115 | Amino-compounds (oxygen) | $608.8 million | +6.9% |
| 116 | Moulding boxes/base | $608.5 million | +15.9% |
| 117 | Tugboats, pusher craft | $588.2 million | -41.3% |
| 118 | Lead (unwrought) | $578.8 million | +25.3% |
| 119 | Blood fractions (including antisera) | $577.4 million | -1.9% |
| 120 | Phenols/phenol-alcohols | $570.1 million | +15.7% |
| 121 | Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels | $565.3 million | -3.9% |
| 122 | Amino-resins | $560 million | +34.9% |
| 123 | Industrial fatty acids and alcohols | $556.1 million | +38.3% |
| 124 | Vulcanized rubber items | $539 million | +8.9% |
| 125 | Refrigerators, freezers | $538.5 million | +27.4% |
| 126 | Chemical woodpulp (dissolving) | $533.4 million | +17.5% |
| 127 | Flat-rolled stainless steel items | $531.6 million | +14.2% |
| 128 | Ketones, quinones | $517 million | +26.2% |
| 129 | Zinc (unwrought) | $516.6 million | -8.2% |
| 130 | Motorcycle parts/accessories | $508.3 million | +1.9% |
| 131 | Acrylic polymers | $507.3 million | +12.8% |
| 132 | Uncoated paper for writing/printing | $503.9 million | +24.8% |
| 133 | Interchangeable hand/machine tools | $497.9 million | +10.3% |
| 134 | Iron or steel tubes, pipes | $495.9 million | -18.8% |
| 135 | Derricks, cranes | $495.1 million | -10.4% |
| 136 | Orthopedic appliances | $491.8 million | +6.1% |
| 137 | Chemical woodpulp (non-dissolving) | $483.9 million | +8.9% |
| 138 | Electric motor parts | $476.2 million | -26.6% |
| 139 | Initiators/accelerators, catalytic preps | $470.8 million | -17% |
| 140 | Weaving machines (loom) | $469.6 million | -5.2% |
| 141 | Dishwashing, clean/dry/fill machines | $468.4 million | -3.3% |
| 142 | Iron ores, concentrates | $459.4 million | +101.2% |
| 143 | Rubber tires (new) | $457 million | -12.4% |
| 144 | Move/grade/scrape/boring machinery | $455.8 million | +42.2% |
| 145 | Knitting/stitching machines | $452 million | +1.5% |
| 146 | Machine-tool for metal | $449.8 million | +21% |
| 147 | Aluminum foil (thin) | $447.4 million | +11.3% |
| 148 | Miscellaneous heterocyclics | $446.7 million | +37% |
| 149 | Lifting/loading machinery | $445.1 million | +15.7% |
| 150 | Liquid crystal/laser/optical tools | $431 million | +6.8% |
| 151 | Polyamides | $427.8 million | +31.4% |
| 152 | Printed circuits | $425.9 million | +20.8% |
| 153 | Textile fabrics with plastics | $425.8 million | +14.4% |
| 154 | Synthetic filament yarn | $424.9 million | +8.7% |
| 155 | Aluminum plates, sheets, strips | $415.6 million | +18.5% |
| 156 | Other diagnostic/lab reagents | $413 million | +16.4% |
| 157 | Other machine parts, accessories | $410 million | +4.6% |
| 158 | Nickel (unwrought) | $408.7 million | -0.6% |
| 159 | Oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers | $406 million | +8.5% |
| 160 | Miscellaneous iron and steel structures | $403.4 million | +26.9% |
| 161 | Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation) | $396.9 million | +170.2% |
| 162 | Engines (diesel) | $396.9 million | -11.4% |
| 163 | Carboxylic acids | $393.3 million | +17.2% |
| 164 | Other organic compounds | $392.5 million | -33.2% |
| 165 | Textile fiber work machines | $385.3 million | +1.4% |
| 166 | Auxiliary machines | $381.9 million | +12.6% |
| 167 | Synthetic precious stones | $378.5 million | +82.5% |
| 168 | Nitrile-function compounds | $372.8 million | +25.6% |
| 169 | Miscellaneous animal feed preparations | $368.5 million | +25.3% |
| 170 | Sawn wood | $367.8 million | +33.5% |
| 171 | Limestone | $360.3 million | +24.8% |
| 172 | Other than warp-knit fabrics | $358.6 million | +28.5% |
| 173 | Electrical capacitators | $355.9 million | +16% |
| 174 | Copper tubes, pipes | $352.1 million | +33.2% |
| 175 | Seats (excluding barber/dentist chairs) | $350.9 million | +17.7% |
| 176 | Dates/figs/pineapples/mangoes/avocadoes/guavas | $344.5 million | +26.7% |
| 177 | Cases, handbags, wallets | $343.4 million | +24.5% |
| 178 | Base metal mountings, fittings | $340.7 million | +8.6% |
| 179 | Other nitrogen compounds | $330.8 million | +41.8% |
| 180 | Alloy steel bars, rods | $330.5 million | +2.9% |
| 181 | Carbonates, percarbonates | $328.9 million | +8.9% |
| 182 | Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers) | $328.3 million | +20.7% |
| 183 | Self-adhesive plastic in rolls | $328.3 million | +27.9% |
| 184 | Cellulose/chemical derivatives | $327 million | +0.1% |
| 185 | Miscellaneous iron or steel tubes, pipes | $326.6 million | +23.2% |
| 186 | Apples, pears (fresh) | $324.9 million | +22.4% |
| 187 | Cellulose fiber paper | $319.1 million | +13.3% |
| 188 | Platinum (unwrought) | $317.8 million | +75.9% |
| 189 | Synthetic organic coloring | $315.6 million | +0.7% |
| 190 | Styrene polymers | $310 million | +29.2% |
| 191 | Wool (uncarded, uncombed) | $298.9 million | +3.5% |
| 192 | Electric ignition/start equipment | $298.2 million | +8.5% |
| 193 | Print/write/draw inks | $298 million | +48.1% |
| 194 | Plastic packing goods, lids, caps | $295.5 million | +14.5% |
| 195 | Spray/dispersing mechanical appliances | $293.4 million | +6.6% |
| 196 | Lubricant preparations | $291.6 million | +13.1% |
| 197 | Electric water heaters, hair dryers | $289.4 million | +12.8% |
| 198 | Alcohol (including spirits, liqueurs) | $283.8 million | +6.8% |
| 199 | Rubber accelerators, plasticizers | $279 million | +23.2% |
| 200 | Miscellaneous engines, motors | $278.4 million | +23.9% |
These 200 imported goods were worth a subtotal of US$391.5 billion or 88.2% by value for all products imported into India during 2017.
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 August 8, 2018
Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis. Accessed on December 31, 2018
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