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Export to Benin

West African trading state next to Nigeria. A major buyer of Indian rice; also medicines, vehicles and textiles.

Capital
Porto-Novo (Cotonou is the seat of government)
Currency
XOF
Trade agreement with India
None
Main ports
Port of Cotonou, Cadjehoun International Airport, Cotonou

Benin has no trade agreement with India. Cotonou port serves Benin, Niger and Burkina Faso, and Benin's traders have long supplied the large Nigerian market next door. Indian rice is one of its biggest imports, along with medicines, motorcycles and textiles. India in turn buys Benin's raw cashew and cotton.

What it buys from India

  • Rice
  • Medicines
  • Motorcycles and auto parts
  • Textiles, plastics and processed food

Import rules on their side

  • Customs is run by the Benin Customs Directorate; declarations go through the national single window.
  • Medicines need authorisation from Benin's medicines regulator; food and plant products need sanitary and phytosanitary certificates.
  • Benin applies the ECOWAS common external tariff; labels and documents are usually in French.

Practical tips

  • Before exporting rice, check India's current export policy and any minimum export price for your rice type on DGFT.
  • Take advance payment or a confirmed LC; check ECGC cover before giving credit.
  • If the buyer says the goods are going on to Nigeria, remember that Nigeria's own import rules apply there — do not get drawn into informal re-export arrangements.
Sources (4)
  1. Direction Générale des Douanes, Benin
  2. DGFT — notifications (export policy for rice)
  3. ECGC Ltd — export credit insurance and country risk
  4. Department of Commerce — TradeStat export-import data bank

Trade data

India’s exports to Benin in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat (Indian financial years, April–March), the country’s imports from the world from UN Comtrade, and its basics from the World Bank.

India’s exports here, 2025-26
US$ 955 mn
No. 62 of our 80 countries
Change from 2024-25
↓ -20.1%
US$ 1.19 bn → US$ 955 mn
Share of all Indian exports
0.22%
Its imports from the world
—
2020-21: US$ 555 mn5552020-212021-22: US$ 716 mn7162021-222022-23: US$ 893 mn8932022-23n/a2023-242024-25: US$ 1.19 bn1.2k2024-252025-26: US$ 955 mn9552025-26
India’s exports to Benin, year by year · US$ million · TradeStat’s 2023-24 country table is double-counted, so it is not shown

What India sells here most

By HS chapter, 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1Cereals (rice, wheat, maize)HS 10US$ 676 mn-34.4%
2Medicines and pharmaHS 30US$ 50.5 mn+98.9%
3Vehicles and partsHS 87US$ 31.6 mn+25.5%
4MachineryHS 84US$ 29.1 mn+30.9%
5Sugar and confectioneryHS 17US$ 28.3 mn+282.2%
6PlasticsHS 39US$ 24 mn+121.3%
7Electrical and electronicsHS 85US$ 22.1 mn+50.3%
8Bakery and cereal foodsHS 19US$ 15 mn+180.9%
9Iron and steel articlesHS 73US$ 8.8 mn+27.2%
10Explosives, matchesHS 36US$ 7.7 mn+111.5%
11Other chemical productsHS 38US$ 6.1 mn+184%
12CottonHS 52US$ 4.6 mn-22.9%

What is rising and what is falling

Chapters where India sells at least US$ 5 million. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. Sugar and confectioneryUS$ 7.4 mn → US$ 28.3 mn+282.2%
  2. Other chemical productsUS$ 2.1 mn → US$ 6.1 mn+184%
  3. Bakery and cereal foodsUS$ 5.3 mn → US$ 15 mn+180.9%
  4. PlasticsUS$ 10.8 mn → US$ 24 mn+121.3%
  5. Explosives, matchesUS$ 3.7 mn → US$ 7.7 mn+111.5%
  6. Medicines and pharmaUS$ 25.4 mn → US$ 50.5 mn+98.9%
  7. Electrical and electronicsUS$ 14.7 mn → US$ 22.1 mn+50.3%
  8. MachineryUS$ 22.2 mn → US$ 29.1 mn+30.9%

Low demand

  1. Cereals (rice, wheat, maize)US$ 1.03 bn → US$ 676 mn-34.4%

Our product guides that sell here

India’s exports of each product to this country, 2025-26.

Name2025-26Change
1Non-basmati riceUS$ 672 mn-34.4%
2Sugar confectioneryUS$ 27.9 mn+282.9%
3Biscuits and bakery productsUS$ 14.9 mn+180.3%
4Fireworks and matchesUS$ 7.7 mn+111.5%
5Chocolate and cocoa productsUS$ 4.4 mn+230.8%
6Incense sticks (agarbatti) and dhoopUS$ 2 mn+284.9%
7Electric fansUS$ 1.2 mn+1,090%
8Knitted fabricsUS$ 520k-63.6%
9Jaggery (gur)US$ 270k—

The 20 biggest export lines

4-digit HS lines, 2025-26, with their Harmonized System descriptions.

Name2025-26Change
1RiceHS 1006US$ 675 mn-34.4%
2MedicamentsHS 3004US$ 45.1 mn+153.7%
3Sugar confectionery, not containing cocoaHS 1704US$ 27.9 mn+282.9%
4Tableware, kitchenware, other household articles and hygienic or toilet articles, of plasticsHS 3924US$ 21.1 mn+177.7%
5Motorcycles and cyclesHS 8711US$ 15.9 mn+13.4%
6Bread, pastry, cakes, biscuits, other bakers' wares, whether or not containing cocoaHS 1905US$ 14.9 mn+180.3%
7MatchesHS 3605US$ 7.7 mn+111.5%
8Electric accumulators, including separators thereforHS 8507US$ 6.9 mn+1,009.7%
9Motor cars and other motor vehiclesHS 8703US$ 6.8 mn+84.7%
10Insulated wire, cable and other electric conductors, connector fitted or notHS 8544US$ 6.4 mn-2.1%
11Machinery, plant, or laboratory equipmentHS 8419US$ 4.8 mn+103.4%
12Human bloodHS 3002US$ 4.6 mn-37.8%
13Woven fabrics of cotton, containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, weighing not more than 200 g/m2HS 5208US$ 4.5 mn-25.3%
14Structures of iron or steel and parts thereofHS 7308US$ 4.4 mn+5.8%
15Chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoaHS 1806US$ 4.4 mn+230.8%
16Activated carbonHS 3802US$ 4.2 mn+531.3%
17TeaHS 0902US$ 3.5 mn+109.5%
18Extracts, essences, concentrates of coffee, tea or mateHS 2101US$ 3.3 mn+4.4%
19Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crudeHS 2710US$ 3.1 mn+364.2%
20Trailers and semi-trailersHS 8716US$ 2.8 mn+289%

What India buys from Benin

India’s imports from this country in 2025-26 by HS chapter, from TradeStat — this country can be your supplier too.

India’s imports, 2025-26
US$ 113 mn
US$ 131 mn → US$ 113 mn
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 955 mn
Trade balance
+US$ 842 mn
exports minus imports
Change in imports
-13.4%
Name2025-26Change
1Oilseeds and seedsHS 12—-37.9%
2Animal feed and food residuesHS 23—+81.3%
3CottonHS 52—+590.8%
4WoodHS 44—-34.6%
5Fats and oilsHS 15—-32.1%
6Fruit and nutsHS 08—-45.8%
7AluminiumHS 76—-65.5%
8Gums, resins, plant extractsHS 13—-8.3%
9Organic chemicalsHS 29—+133.3%
10Other plant materialsHS 14—+17.6%

The country at a glance

Population
14.8 mn
2025
GDP
US$ 24.6 bn
2025
GDP per person
US$ 1,658
2025
Imports (goods and services)
US$ 4.93 bn
2025

Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · World Bank — World Development Indicators · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

What to send to Benin

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