Food Products Export from India: What Importers Buy and How to Source It

Indian food is on shelves in Dubai, Lagos, Nairobi, London and Toronto, and not only in Indian grocery stores. Some of it is there because of the diaspora, some because Indian manufacturers can make good everyday food at a price few others match. If you're an importer looking at India as a source, it helps to know what India exports well and how to buy it without surprises.

The main food product categories India exports

Rice and grains

Basmati and non-basmati rice are India's biggest food exports, alongside wheat flour, pulses and millets.

Spices, tea and coffee

India has been a spice exporter for centuries and still is, in whole, ground and blended form. Indian tea and coffee are sold both in bulk and in branded packs.

Fresh produce

Onions, bananas, mangoes, grapes, pomegranates and vegetables go mainly to the Gulf and nearby Asian markets.

Processed and packaged food

This is where Indian manufacturers add the most value: biscuits and cookies, namkeen snacks, confectionery, ready-to-eat meals, sauces and pickles, frozen foods and bakery products. Long shelf life makes these ideal for distant markets.

Dairy, meat and seafood

Ghee and milk powder, buffalo meat and frozen seafood are large export categories, each with its own strict health rules.

Why Indian processed food sells abroad

• Scale and price. Manufacturers built for India's huge home market can produce at very competitive cost.
• Familiar products. Millions of people of South Asian origin abroad buy the brands and formats they grew up with.
• Range. One supplier can often cover many SKUs across price points.
• Trade agreements. Deals such as the India-UAE CEPA have lowered duties on many Indian goods.
• Shipping links. Regular services connect Indian ports with the Gulf, Africa and Southeast Asia.

Where Indian packaged food goes

• The UAE and GCC, both for local shoppers and as a re-export hub
• West, East and Southern Africa, where value-priced staples and snacks sell in volume
• South and Southeast Asia, including Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Malaysia
• The UK, US, Canada and Australia, mainly through ethnic and specialty retail

How to source Indian food products reliably

1. Decide on brand or private label. Known brands pull shoppers; your own label gives you margin and control.
2. Buy from manufacturers where you can. You get better control over quality and price.
3. Check certifications. FSSAI as a minimum, plus ISO 22000, HACCP, BRC or Halal depending on your market.
4. Plan registration and labelling first. Many countries need products registered and labelled in a local language before import.
5. Test with a mixed container. Several SKUs in one load show you what sells before you scale.
6. Agree everything in writing: specs, shelf life on arrival, Incoterms and payment terms.

Biscuits from India

Biscuits are one of the most practical Indian food categories to import: long shelf life, low cost per unit and formats that sell almost everywhere. KROWN has baked biscuits in India since 1981 and exports cream biscuits, marie, cookies and tins, wafers, chocolate treats and rusk to more than 30 countries, as both KROWN brand and private label.

Read our guide to biscuit export documents and process, see what India exports to the UAE, or contact our export team.