Imports & ExportsStart exporting

South Asia

Export to Maldives

Island neighbour that imports almost all its food and building material. India supplies essentials under special annual quotas.

Capital
Malé
Currency
MVR
Trade agreement with India
South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA); India–Maldives FTA under negotiation
1 January 2006
Main ports
Malé Commercial Harbour, Thilafushi, Velana International Airport

The Maldives imports nearly everything it eats and builds with, and its resorts need a steady supply of food, furniture and supplies. India is a leading supplier. DGFT notifies annual quantities of essential items (such as rice, wheat flour, sugar, onions, potatoes, eggs and stone aggregates) that can be exported to the Maldives even when exports of those items are otherwise restricted.

South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA); India–Maldives FTA under negotiation

SAFTA gives reduced duties on goods not on the Maldives' sensitive list; claim it with a SAFTA certificate of origin from DGFT's platform. India and the Maldives held the first round of bilateral FTA negotiations from 29 June to 7 July 2026. Confirm the current status on commerce.gov.in.

What it buys from India

  • Rice, wheat flour, sugar, vegetables, eggs and other food
  • Stone aggregates, sand, cement and steel for construction
  • Medicines
  • Furniture, textiles and hotel supplies

Import rules on their side

  • Food imports are regulated by the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA); food must be fit for consumption with clear labels and expiry dates, and some items need prior approval.
  • Medicines must be on the MFDA's approved list or have import approval.
  • Pork products and alcohol are restricted; Maldives Customs Service clears all imports.

Practical tips

  • For quota items, check the latest DGFT notification for the Maldives quantities and the procedure; exports are allowed only within the notified quantity.
  • Tuticorin, Kochi and Mangaluru have regular feeder services to Malé, which suits small shipments.
  • Resort buyers want consistent quality and on-time delivery; quote landed prices and agree delivery windows clearly.
Sources (6)
  1. All India Radio News — India, Maldives conclude first round of FTA talks (Jul 2026)
  2. DGFT — notifications (export policy, quotas for neighbouring countries)
  3. DGFT — Common Digital Platform for Certificate of Origin
  4. Ministry of Health, Maldives (Maldives Food and Drug Authority)
  5. Maldives Customs Service
  6. Department of Commerce — TradeStat export-import data bank

Trade data

India’s exports to Maldives 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$ 459 mn
No. 75 of our 80 countries
Change from 2024-25
↓ -18.2%
US$ 561 mn → US$ 459 mn
Share of all Indian exports
0.1%
Its imports from the world
—
2020-21: US$ 196 mn1962020-212021-22: US$ 670 mn6702021-222022-23: US$ 477 mn4772022-23n/a2023-242024-25: US$ 561 mn5612024-252025-26: US$ 459 mn4592025-26
India’s exports to Maldives, 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
1MachineryHS 84US$ 45.6 mn-7.2%
2Salt, stone, cementHS 25US$ 35.3 mn+33.1%
3Medicines and pharmaHS 30US$ 31.1 mn+17.8%
4Iron and steelHS 72US$ 29.9 mn-12.1%
5Dairy, eggs, honeyHS 04US$ 23 mn+12.7%
6PlasticsHS 39US$ 21.4 mn-14.6%
7Iron and steel articlesHS 73US$ 20.5 mn+7.3%
8VegetablesHS 07US$ 20.3 mn-14.1%
9Cereals (rice, wheat, maize)HS 10US$ 19.9 mn-4.6%
10Electrical and electronicsHS 85US$ 19.5 mn-32.5%
11MeatHS 02US$ 16.4 mn+20.3%
12Fruit and nutsHS 08US$ 14.6 mn+19.4%

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. Furniture, lightingUS$ 3.4 mn → US$ 7.4 mn+115.1%
  2. Ships and boatsUS$ 5.1 mn → US$ 9.3 mn+81.1%
  3. Fish and seafoodUS$ 6.4 mn → US$ 9.3 mn+45.4%
  4. Salt, stone, cementUS$ 26.5 mn → US$ 35.3 mn+33.1%
  5. MeatUS$ 13.6 mn → US$ 16.4 mn+20.3%
  6. Fruit and nutsUS$ 12.2 mn → US$ 14.6 mn+19.4%
  7. Medicines and pharmaUS$ 26.4 mn → US$ 31.1 mn+17.8%
  8. Dairy, eggs, honeyUS$ 20.4 mn → US$ 23 mn+12.7%

Low demand

  1. Sugar and confectioneryUS$ 20.7 mn → US$ 6.7 mn-67.8%
  2. Electrical and electronicsUS$ 28.9 mn → US$ 19.5 mn-32.5%
  3. PlasticsUS$ 25.1 mn → US$ 21.4 mn-14.6%
  4. VegetablesUS$ 23.6 mn → US$ 20.3 mn-14.1%
  5. Iron and steelUS$ 34.1 mn → US$ 29.9 mn-12.1%
  6. Instruments, medical devicesUS$ 12.8 mn → US$ 11.5 mn-10.3%

Our product guides that sell here

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

Name2025-26Change
1Granite and stone blocksUS$ 24.1 mn+38%
2EggsUS$ 19 mn+9.9%
3SugarUS$ 6.2 mn-69.8%
4Cement and clinkerUS$ 4.5 mn-28.9%
5Fresh onionUS$ 4.2 mn-41.1%
6Dairy productsUS$ 3.7 mn+29.2%
7PotatoesUS$ 2.7 mn-31.6%
8Fresh pomegranateUS$ 2.5 mn+44.4%
9Books and printed matterUS$ 2.4 mn-56.1%
10TomatoesUS$ 2.3 mn-3.8%
11Paints and varnishesUS$ 2 mn+15.3%
12Breakfast cereals and puffed grainsUS$ 2 mn-4.7%

The 20 biggest export lines

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

Name2025-26Change
1MedicamentsHS 3004US$ 25.8 mn+21%
2Granite, porphyry, basalt, sandstone, other monumental and building stone, whether or not roughly trimmed…HS 2516US$ 24 mn+37.5%
3Iron or non-alloy steelHS 7214US$ 22.5 mn-5.7%
4RiceHS 1006US$ 19.8 mn-4.6%
5Birds' eggs, in shellHS 0407US$ 19 mn+9.9%
6Meat of bovine animalsHS 0202US$ 11.5 mn+30.6%
7Bulldozers, graders, levellers, scrapers, angledozers, mechanical shovels, excavators, shovel loaders…HS 8429US$ 9.3 mn+48.3%
8CrustaceansHS 0306US$ 8.1 mn+49.5%
9Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crudeHS 2710US$ 8 mn-18.7%
10VegetablesHS 0709US$ 7.3 mn+30%
11Structures of iron or steel and parts thereofHS 7308US$ 7.3 mn-24.3%
12Polyacetals, other polyethers and epoxide resins, in primary formsHS 3907US$ 6.8 mn-5.3%
13Cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose, in solid formHS 1701US$ 6.2 mn-69.8%
14Light-vessels, fire-floats, dredgers, floating cranes, other vesselsHS 8905US$ 6.2 mn+145%
15Pebbles, gravel, crushed stone for concrete aggregates for road or railway ballast, shingle or flintHS 2517US$ 6.1 mn+201%
16Insulated wire, cable and other electric conductors, connector fitted or notHS 8544US$ 5.8 mn-38.3%
17Instruments and appliances used in medical, surgical, dental or veterinary sciences, including…HS 9018US$ 5.8 mn-12.9%
18Centrifuges, including centrifugal dryersHS 8421US$ 4.7 mn+52.4%
19Electric generating sets and rotary convertersHS 8502US$ 4.6 mn-28.7%
20Air conditioning machinesHS 8415US$ 4.6 mn+36.1%

What India buys from Maldives

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$ 313 mn
US$ 119 mn → US$ 313 mn
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 459 mn
Trade balance
+US$ 146 mn
exports minus imports
Change in imports
+163.5%
Name2025-26Change
1AircraftHS 88—+148.1%
2Fuels and petroleum productsHS 27—+845.2%
3MachineryHS 84—+163.1%
4Ships and boatsHS 89—+3.1%
5Iron and steelHS 72—-8.4%
6CopperHS 74—+40.4%
7AluminiumHS 76—-51.1%
8Electrical and electronicsHS 85—+20.6%
9Iron and steel articlesHS 73—+374.1%
10Vehicles and partsHS 87—-9.4%

The country at a glance

Population
530k
2025
GDP
US$ 7.74 bn
2025
GDP per person
US$ 14,615
2025
Imports (goods and services)
US$ 5.53 bn
2024

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

What to send to Maldives

All products →

More in South Asia