India has become the #2 fastest-growing major US import source, with exports to the US growing 15%+ annually. $80B+ in US imports from India span pharmaceuticals, IT hardware, textiles, diamonds and jewelry, engineering goods, and chemicals. India is the world's largest generic drug supplier to the US — a single category worth $10B+ annually.
| Category | Share of India Exports | Product Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceuticals & APIs | ~24% | Generic drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients, vaccines |
| Gems, Jewelry & Diamonds | ~14% | Cut diamonds, gold jewelry, synthetic gemstones |
| Engineering Goods | ~12% | Castings, forgings, auto parts, industrial components |
| Textiles & Apparel | ~10% | Cotton garments, home textiles, yarn, fabric |
| Chemicals | ~8% | Dyes, pigments, agrochemicals, specialty chemicals |
Sun Pharma, Dr. Reddy's, Cipla, Teva, and dozens of generic drug manufacturers import APIs and finished generics from Indian plants. India supplies more than 40% of all generic drugs sold in the US — a massive, regulated freight category.
Surat, India is the diamond cutting capital of the world — processing 90%+ of globally traded diamonds. Tiffany, Signet Jewelers, and hundreds of diamond importers and jewelry brands import from Indian diamond exporters.
India is the world's largest cotton producer and a top supplier of cotton bedding, towels, apparel, and technical textiles to the US. Bed Bath & Beyond, Amazon Basics, and major home textile brands source from Indian mills.
Representative records from US CBP public manifest filings — India origin
| Shipper (India) | Product | US Consignee | Entry Port | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDIA | GENERIC PHARMACEUTICAL TABLETS | SUN PHARMA USA INC | New York | 4,800 KG |
| KIRAN GEMS PVT LTD SURAT | CUT AND POLISHED DIAMONDS | SIGNET JEWELERS USA | New York | 24 KG |
| WELSPUN INDIA LTD | COTTON TERRY TOWELS | TARGET CORPORATION | Savannah | 42,000 KG |
| BHARAT FORGE LIMITED | FORGED AUTOMOTIVE PARTS | US AUTO COMPONENTS LLC | Baltimore | 28,400 KG |
"pharmaceutical" or "generic drug" imports from Mumbai, Hyderabad"diamond" or "gem" imports from Surat or Mumbai exporters"cotton textile" or "bed linen" from Indian textile mills"auto component" or "casting" from Indian engineering firms"dye" or "agrochemical" from Indian chemical manufacturersUS-China trade tensions are accelerating India's role as an alternative source. Apple, Samsung, and dozens of electronics brands are establishing India manufacturing. Every new India manufacturing decision creates freight relationships that need to be established. Manifest data shows the first shipments as they arrive.
FDA-regulated pharmaceutical imports require precise temperature chain documentation, chain of custody, and FDA clearance procedures. Brokers who master pharmaceutical freight compliance build some of the most valuable and stickiest accounts in the industry.
The rapid growth of India exports to the US has strained carrier and broker capacity on the Trans-Pacific India corridor. Brokers who get ahead of this growth — building carrier relationships now — have first-mover advantage on one of the fastest-growing trade lanes.
New York/New Jersey handles the largest volume of India imports. Los Angeles/Long Beach, Savannah, and Baltimore are also significant. Pharmaceutical and gem imports concentrate in New York; textiles and engineering goods enter across multiple ports.
Yes. Pharmaceutical API imports appear with product descriptions like "active pharmaceutical ingredient," "bulk drug substance," or the specific compound name. India is the dominant origin for US generic pharma APIs.
Rapidly. Apple shifted iPhone production to India starting in 2023. Electronics imports from India are growing 30%+ annually as Apple, Samsung, and others build out India manufacturing. This is the fastest-growing India import sub-category.
Yes — product description and HS code search separates textile/apparel imports from pharmaceutical imports, even for the same consignee company. Most India importers concentrate in one category.
10M+ manifest records filtered by country of origin, product, port, and company. Find every US importer sourcing from India.
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