India’s Top 10 Imports 2018

India’s Top 10 Imports

India imported US$507.6 billion worth of goods from around the globe in 2018, up by 10.5% since
2014 and up by 14.3% from 2017 to 2018.

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.

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.