14 Main Import Items of India

Read this article to learn about 14 Main Import Items of India!

About 7500 goods are imported and exported by India. Our exports and imports are continuously rising.

Chief Imports:

The following are main imports:

(i) Chemical fertilizers:

To increase the productivity of land fertilizers are used. India imports large quantity of chemical fertilizers from U.S.A., Russia and E.U. In 2004-05. Chemicals fertilizers worth Rs. 5140 crore were imported.

(ii) Cashew Nuts:

India imports cashew-nuts after processing they are exported. In 2004-05 cashew-nuts worth Rs. 1755 crore were imported.

(iii) Edible oils:

India imports edible and oil seeds in large quantity. Oils are mainly imported from USA and Canada. In 2004-05 oil worth Rs. 10500 crore was imported.

(iv) Food grains:

After independence India faced acute shortage of food grains. So food grains were imported from America, Australia, Canada, Burma and Argentina. In 1975, food grains worth Rs. 1058 crores were imported. Due to Green Revolution imports went down in 1978-79 and 1980. In 2004-2005 food grains worth Rs. 115 crore were imported. In 2006-07, food grains from Australia were imported.

(v) Iron and Steel:

India is still dependent in production of iron and steel. It imports steel every year. It is imported from USA, UK, Italy and France. In 2004-05, steel was imported worth Rs. 11675 crore.

(vi) Machinery:

To meet the need of industrialisation, India imports machines on a large scale. These are imported from America, England, Germany, Japan and Russia. In 2004-05 machines worth Rs. 37335 crore were imported.

(vii) Medicines:

India imports medicines. In 2004-05 medicines worth Rs. 3250 crores were imported.

(viii) Non-ferrous Metals:

Metals other than iron are called non-ferrous metals. These are zinc, copper, lead and tin. These metals are imported from Brazil, USA and Malaysia. In 2004-05 non-ferrous metals worth Rs. 54825 crore were imported.

(ix) Petrol and Petroleum products:

India imports 35% of its petroleum requirements from foreign. Petroleum comes from Iran, Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. In 2004-05, petroleum worth Rs. 134095 crore were imported.

(x) Paper:

India imports paper from Yugo Slovakia and Sweden. Paper worth Rs. 3590 crore were imported in 2004-05.

(xi) Precious stones:

Precious stones are Germs, Ruby and Sapphire etc. These are imported from Belgium and America and after finishing, these are exported. In 2004-05, stones worth Rs. 42385 crore were imported.

(xii) Plastic:

Plastic is imported from USA, UK and Japan Plastic worth Rs. 6290 crore was imported in 2004-05.

(xiii) Transport equipment:

For economic development, efficient means of transport are quite essential. Motor vehicles, ships, aero planes etc. are imported from abroad. These are imported from USA, Britain, Germany, Italy and Japan. Transport equipment wroth Rs. 15165 crore were imported in 2004-05.

(xiv) Wool:

India imports wool from New Zealand and Australia. In 2004-05 India imported wool worth Rs. 890 crores.