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Gulf & Middle East

Export to Kuwait

Rich Gulf market with a large Indian community. Buys rice, food, garments and engineering goods.

Capital
Kuwait City
Currency
KWD
Trade agreement with India
India–GCC Free Trade Agreement (under negotiation)
Not in force yetNot in force
Main ports
Shuwaikh, Shuaiba, Kuwait International Airport

Indians are the largest expatriate group in Kuwait, and the country imports most of its food. It buys Indian rice, meat, fruit and vegetables, spices, garments, machinery, vehicles and parts. Rules are similar to other Gulf states: Arabic labels, halal for meat and food-safety checks at entry.

India–GCC Free Trade Agreement (under negotiation)

There is no India–Kuwait trade agreement in force. Kuwait is a GCC member, and India–GCC FTA negotiations were launched in February 2026. Normal GCC duties apply; confirm current status on commerce.gov.in.

What it buys from India

  • Rice, meat, fruit, vegetables and spices
  • Garments and textiles
  • Machinery, vehicles and auto parts
  • Chemicals, iron and steel

Import rules on their side

  • Food imports are controlled by Kuwait's Public Authority for Food and Nutrition (PAFN), which inspects and may test consignments at entry.
  • Labels must include Arabic and follow GCC standards; meat needs a halal certificate.
  • Commercial invoices and certificates of origin often need attestation; ask the buyer exactly what is needed.

Practical tips

  • Expect requests for credit from established buyers; use ECGC cover and check the buyer's standing.
  • Kerala and Gujarat exporters have long links here; community food distributors are good first buyers.
  • Plan around Ramadan and the summer slowdown, when many residents travel.
Sources (6)
  1. PIB backgrounder — India's Trade Partnerships (27 Feb 2026)
  2. All India Radio News — India and GCC sign Joint Statement on FTA (24 Feb 2026)
  3. Public Authority for Food and Nutrition, Kuwait
  4. Kuwait General Administration of Customs
  5. GCC Standardization Organization (GSO)
  6. Department of Commerce — TradeStat export-import data bank

Trade data

India’s exports to Kuwait 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$ 1.65 bn
No. 42 of our 80 countries
Change from 2024-25
↓ -14.6%
US$ 1.93 bn → US$ 1.65 bn
Share of all Indian exports
0.37%
Its imports from the world
US$ 37.5 bn
2023 · India’s share 5.53%
2020-21: US$ 1.05 bn1.1k2020-212021-22: US$ 1.24 bn1.2k2021-222022-23: US$ 1.56 bn1.6k2022-23n/a2023-242024-25: US$ 1.93 bn1.9k2024-252025-26: US$ 1.65 bn1.7k2025-26
India’s exports to Kuwait, 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$ 204 mn+3.1%
2Gems, jewellery, precious metalsHS 71US$ 197 mn+95.7%
3Vehicles and partsHS 87US$ 121 mn+22.2%
4Electrical and electronicsHS 85US$ 113 mn+10.2%
5MachineryHS 84US$ 104 mn+9.1%
6Organic chemicalsHS 29US$ 91.3 mn-34.1%
7Coffee, tea, spicesHS 09US$ 88.8 mn+38.4%
8Iron and steel articlesHS 73US$ 80.5 mn+20%
9Ceramics and tilesHS 69US$ 59.6 mn-27.9%
10Fish and seafoodHS 03US$ 41.2 mn-0.6%
11MeatHS 02US$ 35.8 mn+1.8%
12Woven garmentsHS 62US$ 34.9 mn-0.3%

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. Gems, jewellery, precious metalsUS$ 100 mn → US$ 197 mn+95.7%
  2. Coffee, tea, spicesUS$ 64.2 mn → US$ 88.8 mn+38.4%
  3. CopperUS$ 8.1 mn → US$ 10.8 mn+33.4%
  4. Salt, stone, cementUS$ 15.1 mn → US$ 20.1 mn+33.2%
  5. Vehicles and partsUS$ 98.9 mn → US$ 121 mn+22.2%
  6. Man-made staple fibresUS$ 13.3 mn → US$ 16 mn+20.6%
  7. Iron and steel articlesUS$ 67.1 mn → US$ 80.5 mn+20%
  8. Instruments, medical devicesUS$ 14.5 mn → US$ 16.1 mn+11.3%

Low demand

  1. Fuels and petroleum productsUS$ 62 mn → US$ 20.1 mn-67.6%
  2. Sugar and confectioneryUS$ 17.7 mn → US$ 11 mn-38%
  3. Organic chemicalsUS$ 139 mn → US$ 91.3 mn-34.1%
  4. Ceramics and tilesUS$ 82.6 mn → US$ 59.6 mn-27.9%
  5. Iron and steelUS$ 14.7 mn → US$ 10.9 mn-26.1%
  6. PlasticsUS$ 28.4 mn → US$ 22.9 mn-19.2%
  7. Man-made filamentsUS$ 11 mn → US$ 9 mn-18.8%
  8. Fruit and vegetable preparationsUS$ 18.3 mn → US$ 15 mn-18.3%

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.

Vehicles and partsUS$ 5.95 bnIndia 2.5% · gap US$ 5.8 bn
Electrical and electronicsUS$ 3.54 bnIndia 7.3% · gap US$ 3.29 bn
MachineryUS$ 3.38 bnIndia 3.5% · gap US$ 3.26 bn
Gems, jewellery, precious metalsUS$ 2.15 bnIndia 5% · gap US$ 2.04 bn
Medicines and pharmaUS$ 1.88 bnIndia 0.7% · gap US$ 1.87 bn
Iron and steel articlesUS$ 1.41 bnIndia 4.3% · gap US$ 1.35 bn
Instruments, medical devicesUS$ 893 mnIndia 2.2% · gap US$ 874 mn
Essential oils, cosmeticsUS$ 842 mnIndia 1.3% · gap US$ 831 mn
PlasticsUS$ 847 mnIndia 3.7% · gap US$ 816 mn
Iron and steelUS$ 781 mnIndia 3.9% · gap US$ 751 mn

Our product guides that sell here

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

Name2025-26Change
1Gold jewelleryUS$ 195 mn+96.7%
2Basmati riceUS$ 185 mn+2.4%
3Passenger carsUS$ 88.2 mn+2.3%
4Ceramic and vitrified tilesUS$ 56.4 mn-30.3%
5CoffeeUS$ 50 mn+55.4%
6SpicesUS$ 34.8 mn+21.8%
7Frozen shrimpUS$ 30.5 mn+7.1%
8Fresh vegetablesUS$ 29.3 mn+3.1%
9Synthetic and viscose fabricsUS$ 24.8 mn+5%
10CardamomUS$ 20.4 mn+69%
11Buffalo meat (frozen)US$ 20.2 mn-14%
12Valves and tapsUS$ 18.1 mn+26.4%

The 20 biggest export lines

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

Name2025-26Change
1RiceHS 1006US$ 202 mn+3%
2Jewellery articles and parts thereof, of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metalHS 7113US$ 195 mn+96.7%
3Motor cars and other motor vehiclesHS 8703US$ 88.2 mn+2.3%
4Cyclic hydrocarbonsHS 2902US$ 80.4 mn-34.7%
5Ceramic flags and paving, hearth or wall tilesHS 6907US$ 56.4 mn-30.3%
6Coffee, whether or not roasted or decaffeinatedHS 0901US$ 50 mn+55.4%
7Structures of iron or steel and parts thereofHS 7308US$ 32.4 mn-2.7%
8CrustaceansHS 0306US$ 30.3 mn+7.2%
9Insulated wire, cable and other electric conductors, connector fitted or notHS 8544US$ 23.9 mn-12.2%
10Nutmeg, mace and cardamomsHS 0908US$ 20.4 mn+68.9%
11Meat of bovine animalsHS 0202US$ 20.2 mn-14%
12Electric transformers, static converters and inductorsHS 8504US$ 19.3 mn+23.7%
13Taps, cocks, valves and similar appliances for pipes, boiler shells, tanks, vats or the like, including…HS 8481US$ 18.1 mn+26.4%
14Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crudeHS 2710US$ 17.7 mn-71%
15Electric accumulators, including separators thereforHS 8507US$ 17.6 mn-19.2%
16Machinery partsHS 8431US$ 14.5 mn-1.6%
17Onions, shallots, garlic, leeks and other alliaceous vegetablesHS 0703US$ 14.4 mn+27.9%
18Electric generating sets and rotary convertersHS 8502US$ 14.4 mn+80.4%
19Woven fabrics of synthetic staple fibres in chapter 55HS 5515US$ 14.3 mn+27.1%
20Natural barium sulphateHS 2511US$ 13.7 mn+130.9%

What India buys from Kuwait

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$ 7.92 bn
US$ 8.29 bn → US$ 7.92 bn
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 1.65 bn
Trade balance
−US$ 6.27 bn
exports minus imports
Change in imports
-4.4%
Name2025-26Change
1Fuels and petroleum productsHS 27—+2.5%
2Organic chemicalsHS 29—-39.7%
3AircraftHS 88—-45.9%
4AluminiumHS 76—+17%
5CopperHS 74—+31.8%
6Gems, jewellery, precious metalsHS 71—+128.7%
7PlasticsHS 39—-11.9%
8Iron and steelHS 72—-11.6%
9Salt, stone, cementHS 25—+50.4%
10Electrical and electronicsHS 85—+34.7%

The country at a glance

Population
4.9 mn
2025
GDP
US$ 157.2 bn
2025
GDP per person
US$ 32,312
2025
Imports (goods and services)
US$ 61.5 bn
2024

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.

What to send to Kuwait

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