Foreign trade in India is composed of all items bought from and sold to international markets by India. To put it simply, it involves all imports, which are goods and services purchased from other countries, and exports, which are goods and services sold to other countries.

Government Role in Trade

At the central government level, all matters relating to foreign trade are overseen by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. This entity is responsible for creating and implementing trade policies and strategies that facilitate the growth and development of India's foreign trade sector.

Foreign Trade's Contribution to GDP

In terms of its significance to the country's economic productivity, foreign trade represented 48.8% of India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2018. To give you some perspective, the GDP is a measure used to assess the health of a country's economy. It represents the total value of all goods and services produced within a country during a specific period. Therefore, just under half of the total production value generated in the Indian economy is directly linked to its import and export activities.

Regulation of Foreign Trade in India

Foreign trade in India is also curated by other regulatory bodies apart from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) is one such prominent institution involved. It's an agency of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry responsible for administrating laws related to foreign trade, such as the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act. It helps in the formation and implementation of the country's export and import policies.

Impact of Foreign Trade on the Indian Economy

Foreign trade plays a crucial role in India's economy, contributing significantly to income generation, employment opportunities, and overall economic growth. Not only does it boost industry competitiveness by promoting business innovation, technology transfer, and investment inflow, but it also allows consumers to enjoy a wider variety of products and services.

In conclusion, foreign trade is an integral part of the Indian economy, contributing significantly to its GDP by fostering economic expansion and employment. It is subject to regulation and administration by entities including the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Pre-Independence Diplomacy

Prior to India's independence, the Indian Government managed somewhat autonomous diplomatic relations. It held colonies such as the Aden Settlement and exchanged full diplomatic missions with them. Notably, India was a founding member of two key global organizations, the League of Nations and the United Nations.

Post-Independence Foreign Relations

Post-1947, India gained independence from the British colonial rule and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, an intergovernmental association of 54 member states, predominantly former territories of the British Empire. It played an instrumental role in endorsing independence movements in other colonies. Notably, India actively supported the Indonesian National Revolution.

Territorial Disputes and Strained Relations

The partition of India in 1947 and numerous consequent territorial disputes, such as the long-standing conflict over Kashmir, have led to tense relations with Pakistan, a situation that persists even today.

Cold War Era - A Period of Non-Alignment

During the period of the Cold War, India steered clear of aligning itself with any major global power blocs, adopting what is known as a policy of non-alignment. This policy aimed at staying independent and not joining any significant power faction, thus strategically working on its goal of peace and security.

India's Ties with the Soviet Union

Despite its non-alignment policy, India formed a strong bond with the Soviet Union, one of the two superpowers during the Cold War era. The relationship was mutually beneficial, with India receiving extensive military assistance from the Soviet Union.

Diplomacy and International Relations

This close association with the Soviet Union significantly influenced India's foreign policy, highlighting the country's diplomatic acumen in maintaining cordial relations with a global superpower while managing to uphold its policy of non-alignment. The Indian Foreign Services and the Ministry of External Affairs, the entities responsible for India's external affairs, played an instrumental role in managing these relations.

Remnant of British Laws

As part of the Commonwealth of Nations, India continued to follow numerous British-based laws and guided its administrative and judicial systems until local laws came into place, following various amendments to the Indian Constitution.

In conclusion, India's political diplomacy has been shaped through various historical occurrences, such as colonization, territorial disputes, and global conflicts like the Cold War. Despite numerous challenges, India has successfully managed to maintain a steady international presence while safeguarding its interests.

Pre-1991 Indian Economy

Before the economic liberalisation in 1991, India's economy was isolated from the world due to its highly protective policies. The Indian government levied high average tariffs of more than 200 percent and enacted strict quantitative restrictions on imports. This overprotection was unfavourable for international commerce. Furthermore, foreign investors were heavily restricted, with a strong emphasis on native Indian ownership of businesses.

Economic Liberalisation of 1991

The economic liberalisation in 1991 was a landmark in India's economic history. It opened up the Indian market to the world, leading to a paradigm shift from a closed to an open and more liberal economy. The reforms primarily aimed to increase India's competitiveness on a global scale. This transformation was not limited to a few sectors but extended across various industries including but not limited to auto components, telecommunications, software, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, research and development, and professional services.

Key Reforms and Their Impact

The key economic reforms undertaken included reduction of import tariffs, market deregulation, and tax relaxation. These changes aimed to promote ease of doing business in India and attract more foreign investment.

The impact of these reforms was phenomenal. It led to an increased inflow of foreign investments and resulted in high economic development. Foreign investment witnessed a robust growth of more than 316.9% from 1992 to 2005. Moreover, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of India showed a marked improvement, growing from $266 billion in 1991 to a staggering $2.3 trillion in 2018.

Institutions and Policies to Enhance Investment

Several government institutions and policies, like the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy, have played an instrumental role in regulating and encouraging foreign investments.

Conclusion

The economic liberalisation of 1991 has undeniably transformed the landscape of the Indian economy. With further reforms and measures to promote a positive investment climate, India is set to continue on its trajectory of robust economic growth.

Overview

India stands as the seventh largest exporter of commercial services globally as of 2023. It accounts for 4.6% of the world's total trade in services. Its exports in services expanded significantly by 27% showing a healthy overall uptrend within the sector.

Acceleration in Service Sector

India's formidable services sector saw a surge in growth in September, spurred by strong demand within the sector itself. A survey provided a positive outlook, showing the highest level of optimism in business over nearly a decade. The S&P Global's India Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) displayed an upward trend, moving from 60.1 in August to 61.0 the following month, surpassing the predicted drop to 59.5 as per a Reuters poll.

Range and Diversity of Service Exports

India's service exports offer a vast array, from IT services to professional medical services offered internationally. Although the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) does not disclose monthly disaggregated data on services exports, it periodically provides a classification in its quarterly balance of payment data. This includes sectors like transport, travel, construction, insurance and pensions, financial services, telecommunications, computer and information services, and other realms such as personal, cultural, recreational services and various business services.

Dominant and Emerging Sectors

While software exports remain a central player in India's services export scenario, there has been a noticeable rise in "other business services" exports. This group made up 24% of the total services exports during the preliminary nine months (from April to December) of FY23. Quite a leap from the share of 19% in FY14. This category spans across services like legal, accounting, auditing, bookkeeping, tax consultancy, management consulting, managerial and public relations, as well as advertising, market research, and public opinion polling services.

This shift suggests a new trend in the Indian economy, showing a gradual movement towards a broader export base within the service industry. These figures and growth within the sector also indicate the increasing importance and recognition of the service industry as a significant contributor to the Indian economy. Furthermore, it reflects on the resilience and adaptive capacity of the services sector to continue robustly growing amidst varying economic conditions.

Overview of Indian Exports and Imports

India, a strong player in the global economy, engages in extensive trade with a large number of countries across the world. It predominantly exports a whopping array of around 7500 distinct types of commodities or products. These are destinations that span a broad spectrum of approximately 190 different countries globally.

On the flip side, India also relies heavily on products and goods sourced from outside its borders. The country imports a considerable mix of approximately 6000 exceptional commodities from about 140 countries around the globe.

Broad Scope of Exports

India has a rich and diversified basket of export goods that ensures a strong and robust foreign trade economy. Key export products cover a range of industries, from agriculture to technology to handicrafts and more. Indian mangoes, tea, spices, textiles, precious stones, and software services are well-known across international borders.

India has consistently ensured that regulations and reforms under its export policies align with global trade rules and standards. This is managed by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), and the Foreign Trade Policy of India, among other Indian entities and regulations.

Wide Array of Imports

India fuels its economy's diverse demands by importing around 6000 different commodities. These include key necessities like crude oil and gold, but also span a spectrum of goods including electronic components, machinery, and pharmaceuticals.

Imports into India are supervised by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). Each import adheres to regulations outlined by various Indian laws such as the Customs Act, 1962, and the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992. Trade is facilitated and monitored by import regulation bodies like the Indian Customs.

Increasing Trade Relations

It's imperative to note that trade relations between India and other countries extend beyond these 190 and 140 countries for exports and imports respectively. These figures represent primary trade relations, however, India has secondary and tertiary level trade ties with even more countries.

In summary, trade is a vital part of India's economic strength. This vast network of international trade relations contributes immensely to the Indian economy's growth trajectory, while also cementing its status as a significant player in global economics.

Understanding Indian Economy: Trade Deficits from 1999 - 2023

The Indian economy is considerably influenced by the dynamics of imports and exports. The analysis of these statistical data over the years unveils the nature of India's trade deficits, allowing us to comprehend the nation's economic trends.

Definitions

Export: When India sells goods and services to foreign countries, this is called export. Goods may include a wide variety of tangible items, from textiles to tech products, while services may include tourism, banking, consulting, and more.

Import: The process of buying goods and services from other countries for domestic use is called import. India imports numerous goods like oil, gold, electronic goods, and many others.

Trade Deficit: The difference between the value of the imports of a country and its exports during a specific period is the Trade Deficit.

Analysing the Data

Looking at the provided data that records imports, exports, and trade deficits of India from the years 1999 to 2023, it's notable that the Trade Deficit has largely been in the negative, signifying that India's imports often surpass its exports during these years.

However, the data also show variations across years. Let's look at several significant data points.

Year: 2007

In 2007, India had a trade surplus. It is the only time within examined years, at a positive rate of 11.10, with export value (112) outranking the import numbers (100.90).

Year: 2008 and forward

Indian trade experienced a huge deficit in 2008 and beyond, reaching as low as -202 in 2012, which means India imported much more than it exported.

Latest Years: 2021-2023

The deficit number seemed to improve, though remained negative in 2021 and 2022, to -192.00 and -83.53 respectively. The predicted trade deficit for 2023 is -122.00.

Interpreting the Impact

In the larger scope of the economy, a higher import than export value contributes to the Current Account Deficit (CAD). Regulations set by economic entities such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Ministry of Finance come into play to manage these deficits.

It's also significant to note that trends in trading are influenced by international relations, global economy, national policies, and industry growth. For instance, The Foreign Trade Policy of India, bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, and initiatives like 'Make in India' significantly shape the export-import dynamics.

Conclusion

The economic data provided hence offers significant insights into the performance and direction of the Indian economy through the lens of trade deficits. While an occasional trade deficit may not be detrimental, a consistent or increasing deficit could trigger economic concerns that need to be addressed proactively by economic policy and law makers.