Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in India
India: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 37.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in India, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
India recorded 37.8% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in 2023.
The figure is down 6.3% on the previous year and up 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in India peaked at 44.6% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 9.6%, in 1964.
That places India 38th out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in India, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 12.2% | — |
| 1961 | 9.6% | -20.9% |
| 1962 | 11.7% | +21.9% |
| 1963 | 9.9% | -16.0% |
| 1964 | 9.6% | -2.7% |
| 1965 | 9.7% | +1.2% |
| 1966 | 13.1% | +34.7% |
| 1967 | 10.3% | -21.6% |
| 1968 | 12.9% | +26.0% |
| 1969 | 18.0% | +39.1% |
| 1970 | 19.6% | +9.0% |
| 1971 | 18.8% | -4.3% |
| 1972 | 19.9% | +5.9% |
| 1973 | 20.2% | +1.4% |
| 1974 | 28.0% | +38.7% |
| 1975 | 19.0% | -32.2% |
| 1976 | 21.4% | +12.8% |
| 1977 | 30.3% | +41.5% |
| 1978 | 27.6% | -8.8% |
| 1979 | 25.7% | -6.9% |
| 1980 | 29.7% | +15.4% |
| 1981 | 27.5% | -7.3% |
| 1982 | 21.2% | -22.9% |
| 1983 | 22.2% | +4.7% |
| 1984 | 22.6% | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 20.9% | -7.3% |
| 1986 | 16.1% | -23.2% |
| 1987 | 17.2% | +7.2% |
| 1988 | 16.7% | -3.1% |
| 1989 | 14.4% | -14.1% |
| 1990 | 16.5% | +15.0% |
| 1991 | 18.2% | +10.0% |
| 1992 | 20.0% | +9.9% |
| 1993 | 17.4% | -12.9% |
| 1994 | 19.7% | +13.5% |
| 1995 | 18.3% | -7.2% |
| 1996 | 19.9% | +8.9% |
| 1997 | 19.7% | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 22.3% | +13.1% |
| 1999 | 28.0% | +25.5% |
| 2000 | 24.4% | -13.1% |
| 2001 | 24.3% | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 26.4% | +8.6% |
| 2003 | 25.6% | -3.2% |
| 2004 | 25.7% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 26.2% | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 34.1% | +30.1% |
| 2007 | 35.6% | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 35.6% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 37.1% | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 36.3% | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 37.0% | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 37.3% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 37.6% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 41.0% | +9.0% |
| 2015 | 42.8% | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 43.8% | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 44.6% | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 43.4% | -2.9% |
| 2019 | 41.0% | -5.5% |
| 2020 | 41.8% | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 41.3% | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 40.3% | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 37.8% | -6.3% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 37.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 29.9%, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 37.8% is above the median for South Asia, which is 29.7%, 1.3× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 11.7% | 9.6% | 18.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 23.0% | 18.8% | 30.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.8% | 14.4% | 29.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.0% | 16.5% | 28.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.5% | 24.3% | 37.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.5% | 36.3% | 44.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.3% | 37.8% | 41.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
More private sector data for India
- Merchandise trade 30.3% (2025)
- Food imports 5.1% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 46.5% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 753.48 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 11.1% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 67.1% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 445.28 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 304.18 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1126 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 0.5401 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in India?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in India was 37.8% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 44.6% in 2017.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.6% in 1964.
- How does India rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- India ranks 38th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside region (% of total merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside region are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from other low- and middle-income economies in other World Bank regions according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are expressed as a percentage of total merchandise imports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.