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Gulf & Middle East

Export to Qatar

Small, wealthy Gulf market with a huge Indian workforce. Imports nearly all its food.

Capital
Doha
Currency
QAR
Trade agreement with India
India–GCC Free Trade Agreement (under negotiation)
Not in force yetNot in force
Main ports
Hamad Port, Hamad International Airport, Doha

Qatar imports almost all its food and much of its building material. Indians are its largest expatriate community, which keeps demand high for Indian rice, vegetables, spices, snacks and clothing. Quantities are smaller than in the UAE or Saudi Arabia, but buyers pay well for quality and steady supply.

India–GCC Free Trade Agreement (under negotiation)

There is no India–Qatar trade agreement in force. Qatar is part of the GCC, which signed terms of reference with India in February 2026 and launched FTA negotiations. Normal GCC duties apply for now; confirm current status on commerce.gov.in.

What it buys from India

  • Rice, vegetables, fruit, meat and processed food
  • Building materials, iron and steel, ceramics and granite
  • Machinery and electrical goods
  • Garments and textiles

Import rules on their side

  • Food imports are inspected by Qatar's Ministry of Public Health; labels must include Arabic and follow GCC standards.
  • Meat and poultry need a halal certificate and an approved slaughterhouse.
  • Customs declarations are filed by the importer on Qatar's electronic customs system; commercial invoices and certificates of origin may need attestation.

Practical tips

  • Fresh vegetables and fruit usually go by air from Kochi, Kozhikode, Mumbai or Delhi.
  • Hypermarket chains run by Indian-origin groups buy in volume; approach their sourcing offices in India.
  • Gulfood in Dubai is also where Qatari food buyers look for suppliers.
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. Ministry of Public Health, Qatar
  4. General Authority of Customs, Qatar
  5. GCC Standardization Organization (GSO)
  6. Department of Commerce — TradeStat export-import data bank

Trade data

India’s exports to Qatar 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$ 1.62 bn
No. 28 of our 30 countries
Change from 2024-25
↓ -3.7%
US$ 1.68 bn → US$ 1.62 bn
Share of all Indian exports
0.37%
Its imports from the world
US$ 35.8 bn
2024 · India’s share 5.43%
2020-21: US$ 1.28 bn1.3k2020-212021-22: US$ 1.84 bn1.8k2021-222022-23: US$ 1.97 bn2.0k2022-23n/a2023-242024-25: US$ 1.68 bn1.7k2024-252025-26: US$ 1.62 bn1.6k2025-26
India’s exports to Qatar, 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
1Iron and steel articlesHS 73US$ 226 mn+46.4%
2MachineryHS 84US$ 125 mn-17.6%
3Cereals (rice, wheat, maize)HS 10US$ 115 mn-30.1%
4Vehicles and partsHS 87US$ 100 mn+5.1%
5Fuels and petroleum productsHS 27US$ 90.2 mn+26.6%
6Gems, jewellery, precious metalsHS 71US$ 80 mn-29.6%
7Electrical and electronicsHS 85US$ 67 mn-3.2%
8Inorganic chemicalsHS 28US$ 66.9 mn-25.5%
9MeatHS 02US$ 54 mn+50.9%
10Instruments, medical devicesHS 90US$ 53.1 mn+15.9%
11PlasticsHS 39US$ 43 mn-11.7%
12VegetablesHS 07US$ 38.7 mn+33.3%

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. CopperUS$ 3.3 mn → US$ 26.4 mn+705.5%
  2. Fats and oilsUS$ 5.8 mn → US$ 11.3 mn+95%
  3. MeatUS$ 35.8 mn → US$ 54 mn+50.9%
  4. Iron and steel articlesUS$ 154 mn → US$ 226 mn+46.4%
  5. Fish and seafoodUS$ 8.2 mn → US$ 12 mn+45.3%
  6. Dairy, eggs, honeyUS$ 23.2 mn → US$ 31.9 mn+37.6%
  7. VegetablesUS$ 29 mn → US$ 38.7 mn+33.3%
  8. Furniture, lightingUS$ 9.9 mn → US$ 12.8 mn+29.8%

Low demand

  1. Organic chemicalsUS$ 43.3 mn → US$ 28.8 mn-33.6%
  2. Cereals (rice, wheat, maize)US$ 165 mn → US$ 115 mn-30.1%
  3. Gems, jewellery, precious metalsUS$ 114 mn → US$ 80 mn-29.6%
  4. Inorganic chemicalsUS$ 89.8 mn → US$ 66.9 mn-25.5%
  5. Ceramics and tilesUS$ 34.5 mn → US$ 25.9 mn-24.9%
  6. Sugar and confectioneryUS$ 27.4 mn → US$ 21 mn-23.4%
  7. Coffee, tea, spicesUS$ 27 mn → US$ 21.3 mn-21.1%
  8. Salt, stone, cementUS$ 28.8 mn → US$ 23.2 mn-19.5%

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

The country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, 2024. Chapters with the biggest gap between what it buys from the world and what it buys from India.

MachineryUS$ 7.33 bnIndia 2.8% · gap US$ 7.12 bn
Electrical and electronicsUS$ 2.91 bnIndia 3.9% · gap US$ 2.79 bn
Vehicles and partsUS$ 2.87 bnIndia 3.8% · gap US$ 2.76 bn
Fuels and petroleum productsUS$ 2.23 bnIndia 5.3% · gap US$ 2.11 bn
Iron and steel articlesUS$ 1.65 bnIndia 6.3% · gap US$ 1.55 bn
Gems, jewellery, precious metalsUS$ 1.41 bnIndia 8.4% · gap US$ 1.29 bn
AircraftUS$ 1.14 bnIndia 0.2% · gap US$ 1.14 bn
Medicines and pharmaUS$ 1.13 bnIndia 1.5% · gap US$ 1.12 bn
Arms and ammunitionUS$ 765 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 765 mn
Instruments, medical devicesUS$ 784 mnIndia 3.7% · gap US$ 755 mn

Our product guides that sell here

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

Name2025-26Change
1Basmati riceUS$ 72.5 mn-41%
2Fresh vegetablesUS$ 38.7 mn+33.3%
3Dairy productsUS$ 22.2 mn+54.9%
4Fresh onionUS$ 17.2 mn+200.7%
5Granite and natural stoneUS$ 8.9 mn-18.6%
6Cashew kernelsUS$ 8.2 mn-19%
7TeaUS$ 7.1 mn-5.6%
8Fresh bananaUS$ 3.7 mn+66.8%
9Fresh mangoUS$ 3.1 mn-23.1%
10Fresh pomegranateUS$ 3.1 mn+37.3%
11Natural honeyUS$ 1.9 mn-11%
12Paper and paperboard packagingUS$ 1.6 mn-5.9%

The 20 biggest export lines

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

Name2025-26Change
1Iron or steelHS 7305US$ 162 mn+123.1%
2RiceHS 1006US$ 113 mn-30.6%
3Jewellery articles and parts thereof, of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metalHS 7113US$ 79 mn-28.3%
4Motor cars and other motor vehiclesHS 8703US$ 67.1 mn+6.6%
5Aluminium oxideHS 2818US$ 53.7 mn-31.6%
6Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crudeHS 2710US$ 42.3 mn+130.2%
7Petroleum coke, petroleum bitumenHS 2713US$ 39 mn-11.3%
8Taps, cocks, valves and similar appliances for pipes, boiler shells, tanks, vats or the like, including…HS 8481US$ 31.9 mn-30.6%
9Meat of bovine animalsHS 0202US$ 26.5 mn+26.3%
10Copper wireHS 7408US$ 23.7 mn+6,674.3%
11Ferro-alloysHS 7202US$ 20.5 mn+74.4%
12Ceramic flags and paving, hearth or wall tilesHS 6907US$ 20.4 mn-30.8%
13Butter and other fats and oils derived from milkHS 0405US$ 20 mn+56%
14Cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose, in solid formHS 1701US$ 19.8 mn-26%
15Structures of iron or steel and parts thereofHS 7308US$ 18.7 mn-45.7%
16Regulating or controlling instruments and apparatusHS 9032US$ 18 mn-27.8%
17Meat of sheep or goatsHS 0204US$ 18 mn+126.7%
18Onions, shallots, garlic, leeks and other alliaceous vegetablesHS 0703US$ 17.4 mn+197.3%
19PumpsHS 8413US$ 17 mn+66.5%
20Machinery, plant, or laboratory equipmentHS 8419US$ 17 mn+8.7%

What India buys from Qatar

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$ 12.3 bn
US$ 12.5 bn → US$ 12.3 bn
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 1.62 bn
Trade balance
−US$ 10.7 bn
exports minus imports
Change in imports
-1.4%
Name2025-26Change
1Fuels and petroleum productsHS 27—-3.1%
2FertilisersHS 31—+105.7%
3Organic chemicalsHS 29—-22.3%
4Ships and boatsHS 89—+482.5%
5PlasticsHS 39—-6.1%
6AluminiumHS 76—-6.2%
7Inorganic chemicalsHS 28—-28.8%
8Salt, stone, cementHS 25—+0.2%
9Other chemical productsHS 38—-33.2%
10Iron and steelHS 72—+16.1%

The country at a glance

Population
3.0 mn
2025
GDP
US$ 215.6 bn
2025
GDP per person
US$ 72,525
2025
Imports (goods and services)
US$ 74.5 bn
2022

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 Qatar

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