Changes in India’s Import Basket: An Exploratory Analysis of the U.S. Export Data

Abstract

This paper attempts to understand India’s import growth from the U.S. between 1991 and 2006. In particular, we analyse how the allocation of industries in the export sector, skill intensity of products, product diversification, and contributions of new products have changed as India’s imports from the U.S. have grown. Our findings suggest that India’s import from the U.S. in 2006 has increased in the more sophisticated product categories. Furthermore, our study finds that India has diversified in the range of products it is importing from the U.S., with new products gaining an increased share in India’s import basket.