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Export to Iran

Large buyer of Indian basmati rice, tea and medicines, but US sanctions make payment and banking the hardest part.

Capital
Tehran
Currency
IRR
Trade agreement with India
None
Main ports
Bandar Abbas (Shahid Rajaee), Chabahar (Shahid Beheshti), Bandar Imam Khomeini

Iran has long bought Indian basmati rice, tea, sugar, fruit and medicines. Trade continues mainly in food, farm goods and medicines, but United States sanctions limit which banks, shipping lines and insurers will handle Iranian business. A new exporter should only start after the bank has confirmed in writing how it will receive the money.

What it buys from India

  • Basmati rice (one of the largest buyers of Indian basmati)
  • Tea, sugar, bananas and other food products
  • Medicines and organic chemicals

Import rules on their side

  • Many goods need conformity checks against Iranian national standards (INSO) before clearance; food, medicines and cosmetics are registered with the Iran Food and Drug Administration through the local importer.
  • Labels on food usually need Farsi, with production and expiry dates. Rice is checked for quality and residues on arrival.
  • The importer must register the order with Iran’s trade authorities before shipment; ask for proof of registration before you load.

Practical tips

  • Iran is under US sanctions (OFAC). Exports of food, farm goods and medicines are generally possible, but many banks refuse Iran-linked payments. Agree the payment channel with your Indian bank before you sign the contract, and never ship on credit.
  • Payments from Iran were badly delayed during 2026 because of unrest, conflict in the region and banking limits. Check the latest position with your bank, APEDA and the export promotion council before each shipment.
  • Screen your buyer, the vessel and the shipping line against sanctions lists; a sanctioned party in the chain can freeze the payment.
Sources (7)
  1. US Treasury OFAC — Iran sanctions
  2. APEDA — Basmati rice
  3. Iranian National Standards Organization (INSO)
  4. Iran Food and Drug Administration
  5. Department of Commerce — TradeStat export-import data bank
  6. Indian Trade Portal (FIEO / Department of Commerce) — market access by country
  7. ECGC Ltd — export credit insurance and country risk

Trade data

India’s exports to Iran 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$ 1.26 bn
No. 48 of our 80 countries
Change from 2024-25
↑ +1.4%
US$ 1.24 bn → US$ 1.26 bn
Share of all Indian exports
0.29%
Its imports from the world
US$ 65.6 bn
2023 · India’s share 3.58%
2020-21: US$ 1.77 bn1.8k2020-212021-22: US$ 1.45 bn1.5k2021-222022-23: US$ 1.66 bn1.7k2022-23n/a2023-242024-25: US$ 1.24 bn1.2k2024-252025-26: US$ 1.26 bn1.3k2025-26
India’s exports to Iran, 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$ 810 mn+7%
2Coffee, tea, spicesHS 09US$ 82.8 mn+18.2%
3Medicines and pharmaHS 30US$ 62.7 mn+121.7%
4Fruit and nutsHS 08US$ 58.4 mn+4.5%
5Sugar and confectioneryHS 17US$ 50.3 mn+244.9%
6VegetablesHS 07US$ 34.2 mn+5.9%
7Oilseeds and seedsHS 12US$ 23.5 mn+19.9%
8MachineryHS 84US$ 22.7 mn-20.2%
9Organic chemicalsHS 29US$ 20.1 mn-31.4%
10Essential oils, cosmeticsHS 33US$ 13.6 mn-47.1%
11MeatHS 02US$ 12 mn-15%
12Vehicles and partsHS 87US$ 7.5 mn+260.9%

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. Vehicles and partsUS$ 2.1 mn → US$ 7.5 mn+260.9%
  2. Sugar and confectioneryUS$ 14.6 mn → US$ 50.3 mn+244.9%
  3. Medicines and pharmaUS$ 28.3 mn → US$ 62.7 mn+121.7%
  4. Oilseeds and seedsUS$ 19.6 mn → US$ 23.5 mn+19.9%
  5. Coffee, tea, spicesUS$ 70 mn → US$ 82.8 mn+18.2%

Low demand

  1. Essential oils, cosmeticsUS$ 25.7 mn → US$ 13.6 mn-47.1%
  2. Organic chemicalsUS$ 29.3 mn → US$ 20.1 mn-31.4%
  3. MachineryUS$ 28.5 mn → US$ 22.7 mn-20.2%
  4. MeatUS$ 14.1 mn → US$ 12 mn-15%

Opportunity: what this country buys from the world, and from India

The country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, 2023. Chapters with the biggest gap between what it buys from the world and what it buys from India.

MachineryUS$ 9.7 bnIndia 0.9% · gap US$ 9.61 bn
Electrical and electronicsUS$ 7.56 bnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 7.55 bn
Cereals (rice, wheat, maize)US$ 7.64 bnIndia 10.8% · gap US$ 6.82 bn
Vehicles and partsUS$ 2.77 bnIndia 0.5% · gap US$ 2.76 bn
Fats and oilsUS$ 2.67 bnIndia 0.2% · gap US$ 2.67 bn
Oilseeds and seedsUS$ 2.45 bnIndia 0.9% · gap US$ 2.43 bn
Iron and steelUS$ 2.1 bnIndia 3.7% · gap US$ 2.02 bn
Organic chemicalsUS$ 2.07 bnIndia 7.6% · gap US$ 1.92 bn
PlasticsUS$ 1.85 bnIndia 0.9% · gap US$ 1.83 bn
Instruments, medical devicesUS$ 1.8 bnIndia 0.7% · gap US$ 1.78 bn

Our product guides that sell here

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

Name2025-26Change
1Basmati riceUS$ 790 mn+4.9%
2Vaccines and blood productsUS$ 56.4 mn+148%
3Fresh bananaUS$ 54.5 mn+2.2%
4TeaUS$ 52.2 mn+37.8%
5SugarUS$ 47.8 mn+228.4%
6Fresh vegetablesUS$ 34.2 mn+5.9%
7SpicesUS$ 26 mn-7.7%
8Groundnut (peanut)US$ 15.4 mn+46.2%
9TurmericUS$ 14.9 mn+2%
10Cumin (jeera)US$ 5.8 mn-37.4%
11Sesame seed (til)US$ 4.8 mn+18.8%
12CardamomUS$ 3.9 mn+264.2%

The 20 biggest export lines

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

Name2025-26Change
1RiceHS 1006US$ 810 mn+7%
2Human bloodHS 3002US$ 56.4 mn+148%
3Bananas, including plantainsHS 0803US$ 54.5 mn+2.2%
4TeaHS 0902US$ 52.2 mn+37.8%
5Cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose, in solid formHS 1701US$ 47.8 mn+228.4%
6Vegetables, leguminousHS 0713US$ 33.8 mn+5.4%
7Ginger, saffron, tumeric, thyme, bay leaves, curry and other spicesHS 0910US$ 16 mn+4.4%
8Ground-nutsHS 1202US$ 15.4 mn+46.2%
9Odoriferous substances and mixtures with a basis of one or more of these substances, of a kind used as raw…HS 3302US$ 12.8 mn-48.4%
10Meat of bovine animalsHS 0202US$ 11.7 mn-13.1%
11Transmission shafts and cranksHS 8483US$ 7.1 mn-13.8%
12MedicamentsHS 3004US$ 6 mn+17.1%
13Seeds of anise, badian, fennel, coriander, cumin, caraway or juniperHS 0909US$ 5.8 mn-37.9%
14Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits in chapter 12HS 1207US$ 5.7 mn+15.7%
15Coffee, whether or not roasted or decaffeinatedHS 0901US$ 4.6 mn+15.8%
16Nutmeg, mace and cardamomsHS 0908US$ 4 mn+227.9%
17Special purpose motor vehiclesHS 8705US$ 4 mn—
18Fruit, nuts and other edible parts of plantsHS 2008US$ 3.6 mn+102.8%
19Heterocyclic compounds with nitrogen hetero-atom onlyHS 2933US$ 3.4 mn-40.2%
20Oil-cake and other solid residuesHS 2304US$ 3.4 mn-95.2%

What India buys from Iran

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$ 375 mn
US$ 442 mn → US$ 375 mn
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 1.26 bn
Trade balance
+US$ 883 mn
exports minus imports
Change in imports
-15%
Name2025-26Change
1Fruit and nutsHS 08—-28.5%
2Fuels and petroleum productsHS 27—+99.7%
3Salt, stone, cementHS 25—-22.8%
4Glass and glasswareHS 70—-25.2%
5Coffee, tea, spicesHS 09—-45.9%
6Organic chemicalsHS 29—-96.2%
7Flour, malt, starchHS 11—+144.7%
8Medicines and pharmaHS 30—+2,275%
9Hides and skinsHS 41—-6.9%
10MachineryHS 84—-46.3%

The country at a glance

Population
92.4 mn
2025
GDP
US$ 362.7 bn
2025
GDP per person
US$ 3,924
2025
Imports (goods and services)
US$ 125.1 bn
2025

Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · World Bank — World Development Indicators · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

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