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South-East Asia

Export to Singapore

Duty-free trading hub for South-East Asia. Strict food licensing by SFA; big Indian community.

Capital
Singapore
Currency
SGD
Trade agreement with India
India–Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA); also ASEAN–India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA)
1 August 2005
Main ports
Port of Singapore (PSA terminals), Changi Airport

Singapore is a small country but a big trading and transhipment hub. Its traders buy Indian goods for their own market and for re-export across South-East Asia. Almost all goods enter without customs duty (only GST is charged), but food imports are tightly controlled by the Singapore Food Agency.

India–Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA); also ASEAN–India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA)

Singapore charges almost no customs duty on most goods anyway, so the CECA matters more for services, investment and mutual recognition. A third review of the CECA was launched in 2018 and AITIGA is also under review; confirm current status on commerce.gov.in.

What it buys from India

  • Petroleum products
  • Electronics, machinery and ships and parts
  • Gems and jewellery, chemicals and medicines
  • Rice, spices, fresh vegetables and Indian groceries

Import rules on their side

  • Only importers licensed by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) can import food, and every consignment needs an import permit through TradeNet.
  • Meat, seafood and eggs can only come from countries and plants accredited by SFA; check before you quote.
  • Food labels must be in English and follow Singapore's food regulations; health products and cosmetics need notification or registration with the Health Sciences Authority.

Practical tips

  • Air freight from Chennai, Kochi or Tiruchirappalli suits fresh vegetables and flowers for the Indian community market.
  • Singapore buyers are price-sharp and pay on time; open account after a few orders is normal.
  • A Singapore distributor can be your base to reach Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Sources (5)
  1. Department of Commerce — Annual Report 2024-25 (trade agreements chapter)
  2. PIB backgrounder — India's Trade Partnerships (27 Feb 2026)
  3. Singapore Food Agency — food import and export
  4. Singapore Customs
  5. Department of Commerce — TradeStat export-import data bank

Trade data

India’s exports to Singapore 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$ 11.9 bn
No. 6 of our 80 countries
Change from 2024-25
↓ -8.6%
US$ 13 bn → US$ 11.9 bn
Share of all Indian exports
2.69%
Its imports from the world
US$ 457.5 bn
2024 · India’s share 1.93%
2020-21: US$ 8.68 bn8.7k2020-212021-22: US$ 11.2 bn11k2021-222022-23: US$ 12 bn12k2022-23n/a2023-242024-25: US$ 13 bn13k2024-252025-26: US$ 11.9 bn12k2025-26
India’s exports to Singapore, 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
1Fuels and petroleum productsHS 27US$ 4.47 bn-15.3%
2MachineryHS 84US$ 2.13 bn+10.2%
3Ships and boatsHS 89US$ 1.41 bn-22.4%
4Organic chemicalsHS 29US$ 654 mn-38.8%
5Gems, jewellery, precious metalsHS 71US$ 547 mn-1.4%
6Electrical and electronicsHS 85US$ 479 mn+23.6%
7LeadHS 78US$ 383 mn+83.5%
8Instruments, medical devicesHS 90US$ 242 mn-19.9%
9ZincHS 79US$ 126 mn+12.6%
10Essential oils, cosmeticsHS 33US$ 115 mn+12.4%
11Cereals (rice, wheat, maize)HS 10US$ 89.6 mn-18.9%
12PlasticsHS 39US$ 87.4 mn-24%

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. Fats and oilsUS$ 33.8 mn → US$ 68.7 mn+103.2%
  2. LeadUS$ 209 mn → US$ 383 mn+83.5%
  3. Electrical and electronicsUS$ 387 mn → US$ 479 mn+23.6%
  4. ZincUS$ 112 mn → US$ 126 mn+12.6%
  5. Essential oils, cosmeticsUS$ 103 mn → US$ 115 mn+12.4%
  6. MachineryUS$ 1.94 bn → US$ 2.13 bn+10.2%

Low demand

  1. Organic chemicalsUS$ 1.07 bn → US$ 654 mn-38.8%
  2. PlasticsUS$ 115 mn → US$ 87.4 mn-24%
  3. Ships and boatsUS$ 1.81 bn → US$ 1.41 bn-22.4%
  4. Instruments, medical devicesUS$ 302 mn → US$ 242 mn-19.9%
  5. Cereals (rice, wheat, maize)US$ 110 mn → US$ 89.6 mn-18.9%
  6. Fuels and petroleum productsUS$ 5.28 bn → US$ 4.47 bn-15.3%
  7. AircraftUS$ 78.5 mn → US$ 69.6 mn-11.3%

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.

Electrical and electronicsUS$ 144.1 bnIndia 0.3% · gap US$ 143.6 bn
Fuels and petroleum productsUS$ 87.3 bnIndia 4.4% · gap US$ 83.5 bn
MachineryUS$ 82.7 bnIndia 0.8% · gap US$ 82 bn
Gems, jewellery, precious metalsUS$ 24.7 bnIndia 3.2% · gap US$ 23.9 bn
Instruments, medical devicesUS$ 13.9 bnIndia 1.3% · gap US$ 13.7 bn
AircraftUS$ 8.6 bnIndia 0.2% · gap US$ 8.59 bn
PlasticsUS$ 7.08 bnIndia 1.9% · gap US$ 6.95 bn
Organic chemicalsUS$ 7.88 bnIndia 12.6% · gap US$ 6.89 bn
Medicines and pharmaUS$ 5.75 bnIndia 1.4% · gap US$ 5.67 bn
Essential oils, cosmeticsUS$ 4.82 bnIndia 1.4% · gap US$ 4.75 bn

Our product guides that sell here

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

Name2025-26Change
1Gold jewelleryUS$ 495 mn+2%
2Bulk drugs (APIs)US$ 168 mn-68.2%
3Switches, sockets and switchgearUS$ 128 mn+41.5%
4Valves and tapsUS$ 98.3 mn+12.8%
5Non-basmati riceUS$ 72.2 mn-19.6%
6Plastic raw materials (polymers)US$ 64.8 mn-29.4%
7Transformers and convertersUS$ 60.3 mn-19.2%
8Perfumes and attarsUS$ 48.4 mn+1.9%
9Processed foodUS$ 44.5 mn+19.6%
10Medical and surgical instrumentsUS$ 39.3 mn-11.4%
11Fresh vegetablesUS$ 34.9 mn+39.4%
12Agrochemicals (pesticides)US$ 34.6 mn-23.7%

The 20 biggest export lines

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

Name2025-26Change
1Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crudeHS 2710US$ 4.44 bn-10.7%
2Turbo-jets, turbo-propellers and other gas turbinesHS 8411US$ 1.43 bn+2.2%
3VesselsHS 8906US$ 641 mn+592.9%
4Jewellery articles and parts thereof, of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metalHS 7113US$ 498 mn+2.3%
5Light-vessels, fire-floats, dredgers, floating cranes, other vesselsHS 8905US$ 438 mn-27.4%
6LeadHS 7801US$ 383 mn+83.5%
7Cruise ships, excursion boats, ferry-boats, cargo ships, barges and similar vessels for the transport of…HS 8901US$ 266 mn-73.5%
8Ethers, ether-alcohols, ether-phenols, ether-alcohol-phenols, alcohol peroxides, ether peroxides, acetal…HS 2909US$ 201 mn-11%
9Heterocyclic compounds with nitrogen hetero-atom onlyHS 2933US$ 130 mn-72.9%
10MachinesHS 8475US$ 128 mn+85.4%
11ZincHS 7901US$ 126 mn+12.6%
12Taps, cocks, valves and similar appliances for pipes, boiler shells, tanks, vats or the like, including…HS 8481US$ 98.3 mn+12.8%
13AcidsHS 2918US$ 92.8 mn+3.7%
14RiceHS 1006US$ 89.2 mn-19%
15Machinery partsHS 8431US$ 73.6 mn+24.9%
16Electrical apparatus for switching, protecting electrical circuits, for making connections to or in…HS 8536US$ 73.1 mn+16.8%
17MachineryHS 8473US$ 72.4 mn+255.7%
18MedicamentsHS 3004US$ 66.4 mn+8.4%
19AircraftHS 8807US$ 65.8 mn-15.6%
20Navigational instruments and appliancesHS 9014US$ 62.8 mn+32.1%

What India buys from Singapore

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$ 24.2 bn
US$ 21.3 bn → US$ 24.2 bn
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 11.9 bn
Trade balance
−US$ 12.4 bn
exports minus imports
Change in imports
+13.9%
Name2025-26Change
1Electrical and electronicsHS 85—+15.5%
2MachineryHS 84—+29.2%
3Fuels and petroleum productsHS 27—-0.9%
4Gems, jewellery, precious metalsHS 71—+162.8%
5PlasticsHS 39—-2.2%
6Instruments, medical devicesHS 90—+1.9%
7Organic chemicalsHS 29—-11.6%
8Ships and boatsHS 89—+20.5%
9Fats and oilsHS 15—+28%
10Iron and steelHS 72—+1.9%

The country at a glance

Population
6.1 mn
2025
GDP
US$ 603.9 bn
2025
GDP per person
US$ 98,814
2025
Imports (goods and services)
US$ 860.2 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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