What Products Are Made In India? // Sourcing and Manufacturing in India Guide

Many buyers are looking beyond China and asking what products people are sourcing products made in India. Both the trade war with China and the increasingly uncertain global landscape, buyers are searching globally for new sourcing destinations. Buyers, business owners, procurement officers, and more are looking outside China to find alternative sourcing destinations. India is one of the top choices for many reasons, including its massive labor force.  If you are interested in other countries, check out our guide on the 13 best alternatives to China for Sourcing.

In this article, we write about sourcing from India and the most popular items for export and selling on e-commerce and traditional retail stores. 

The Economy and Business Culture of India 

India is the 2nd most populous country and has the 5th largest economy by nominal GDP. However, when measured by Purchasing power parity, it is the 3rd largest economy. Despite its massive economy, it is ranked 139th in the world for GDP per Capita. India is a rapidly growing county and averages above 6% growth since the start of the new millennium, according to the IMF. India should overtake China for the world’s most populous country sometime in the 2020s. 

In the last couple of centuries, India has observed the fusion of many cultures that are considered traditional to the Indian region. Buddhists, Jains, Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus – these are just some of the religions that have somewhat fused, creating a new type of culture in the country. 

The diversity of culture in India does not stop at the religions. The large variety of languages spoken in the country affects the sophisticated culture too. Architecture, music, dances, and food – these all form part of the unique traditions and customs only found in India. 

India is a problematic country bureaucratically and culturally to navigate as it has a tremendously diverse population. 

India is the 2nd most populous country in the world but will likely overtake China for that title in just a few years. Despite the large population, India has a relatively small export of USD 323.1 Billion. That amounts to around $250 per person.

List of top Products Made in India

India is aware of its small amount of exports per capita, and the government is making significant efforts to promote its businesses to the world. The most visible of that effort is a website called Invest India. Invest India is a government-run website that provides a wealth of knowledge about export and business opportunities in India. It also features a tool for a foreign buyer to meet factories and get introduced. Below are the most popular products made in India

Apparel And Home Textiles, Garments, Clothing, And Accessories Suppliers In India

More than $8 billion worth of clothing and textiles shipped from India in 2018. Many clothing brands manufacture their products in India, such as Bonobos, Target, and more. In Addition to clothes, they also exported a large number of home textiles that included bed sheets and curtains.

Several manufacturing plants work closely with companies from other countries. These factories can take the designs provided by the company and convert them into real products that are ready to be sold to the consumer. 

The company using the manufacturing services will need to ensure they have their designers. The designer will be responsible for producing designs for manufacturing clothing in India. The designs are sent to the manufacturing facility, who will use the pattern to manufacture the clothes. The final products will ship to the company’s location, where the clothing can be sold online or in a physical store. 

Cotton Suppliers In India

India, along with the United States and China, is one of the top three largest growers of cotton, according to the World Atlas. India produced more than 6.4 million metric tons of cotton. Cotton was first farmed in the Indus Valley thousands of years ago. Since then, Northern India has been one of the most prosperous regions in the world for cotton growing. Subsequently, India sells cotton to textile manufacturers in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and throughout the world, who create finished goods.

There is a significant number of uses for cotton. Cotton is one of the most versatile materials in the world and makes everything from clothing to bedding sheets and more. 

Examples of products that use cotton include socks, bedsheets, towels, and t-shirts. Some types of underwear for both men and women also make use of cotton. There are also a lot of bedding accessories, such as sheets made from cotton. Pure cotton designs are known to be comfortable and soft. Jackets made from a cotton material may also provide improved insulation during the winter, keeping the consumer warmer. 

Cotton suppliers in India export pure raw cotton to the buyers’ local destination for further processing and manufacturing into finished goods. The local factories use natural cotton to make a wide variety of products.

Clothing manufacturers in India have easy access to cotton. As a result, it is easy for companies to make clothes out of 100% cotton and or other blends.

Leather Suppliers In India

In 2018, India exported more than USD 2.8 Billion worth of leather goods. The leather and Tannery industry in India employed more than 4 million people. Currently, India accounts for more than 12% of the world’s leather goods. India is the 2nd largest exporter of leather shoes and leather clothing.

Leather is one of the most popular materials in the world, with many different uses. Leather clothing is no longer a trend only seen among bikers. A lot of the average consumers are also looking for jackets, pants, and other clothing products made out of leather. Similarly, leather shoes provide a sophisticated look while also protecting the feet. 

Leather is used in other industries too, including the manufacturing of furniture. In these cases, the leather may be a material used as a cover for a piece of furniture. It helps to protect the interior structures of the furniture, while also adding an attractive element to the exterior. 

Furniture Suppliers In India

In 2018, the furniture market in India reached a massive $32.61 billion. By the end of the year 2023, analysts are expecting that the furniture market in India will reach at least $61.09 billion. The expected annual growth rate for the market between 2018 and 2023 is 14.30% per year. The substantial growth rate demonstrates that the furniture market in India is vast. Whether a company is looking to sell bed frames or sofas, several manufacturers in India can provide these products. 

India is also home to a few popular furniture brands. Some of these brands include Nilkamal, Zuari, Durian, Usha Lexus, and Godrej Interio. The furniture produced in India uses high-quality materials, including high quality, durable tropical hardwoods. Many of the manufacturing plants in India can create furniture items that feature modern designs, ensuring companies who are looking to resell these products can keep up with the latest trends in furniture design. 

Custom Furniture in India 

There is a large number of opportunities presented in India for business owners who need to stock up on new types of furniture in their local stores. 

Some of the types of furniture that India Manufacturers include hardwood furniture and vintage furniture. Handicraft furniture is also widely found at manufacturing plants throughout India. Other furniture items include dining tables, office furniture, leather furniture.

Both indoor and outdoor furniture can be imported from India, providing more significant opportunities for companies who are looking to expand what they offer the consumer. Companies focusing on the interior can order chairs, lounge suites, dining tables, and other items from Indian manufacturers. Those companies that focus on outdoor and patio products may prefer a range of outdoor furniture instead. Outdoor furniture made in India includes garden tables and chairs, for example. 

Spice Suppliers In India

Most people have had an Indian dish in the past, with the most popular most likely being curry. There are a few different curries available – and these spices originate from India. The majority of Indian dishes tend to contain special spices and herbs, with curry spices just being a single example. For this reason, many people are looking for the spices of India in their local country. 

The abundance of spice presents an opportunity for business owners who want to expand into the area of providing spices to their customers. More than one million tons worth of spices is exported from India every year, reaching almost every corner of the planet. The spice export industry in India rises about 6% in value each year, with an additional 8% growth in the volume of spice exported to other countries. 

There are various opportunities available for businesses who are interested in importing spices from India. 

The most basic example would be to buy spices in bulk from Indian manufacturers and then package them when they arrive at its destination. Many buyers resell the spices at prices for a generous profit. 

In India, there are many opportunities to do private label or white label products. Creating a new brand of spices would also be possible when importing from India. One can purchase Spices in generic containers in bulk amounts. The Buyer or seller then repackages the spices into branded bags or boxes, which help a new company establish a presence for itself. 

The spice industry of India can, of course, also be useful for the culinary industry in other countries. A restaurant chain may choose to import authentic spices from India to provide consumers access to dishes that taste better – due to the use of real Indian spices imported from the country of origin. 

Packaging Suppliers In India

The packaging industry in India is also huge. By the end of 2019, the estimated worth of the packaging industry in the country was $75.95 billion. Over the next half a decade, the Indian packaging industry is expected to grow to $103.32 billion – which it should reach by the end of 2025. 

There are several areas where packaging suppliers come in as an essential manufacturing service and product provider. In essence, the food packaging and processing industry use about About 50% of all packaging in India.

Beyond the domestic market, there are still several export industries that also take advantage of the massive packaging industry in India. 

Both custom and pre-made packaging solutions are available when looking at suppliers in India. Pre-made packaging allows companies to choose from a selection of packaging solutions that the manufacturing plant already has a mold that one can use. The manufacturing of these packaging solutions is more natural and more cost-effective and can provide an adequate supply of the packages to the company in a shorter period. 

Many companies also opt for custom packaging solutions. Since the packaging industry in India is enormous, companies will often find that having a custom packaging process implemented is not as expensive compared to the use of a local manufacturing plant. 

Custom packaging solutions allow for specialty printing and branding on the packages. You can shape and customize the packaging and containers to provide a better representation of your brand’s image. In turn, this helps the brand maintain the perception that they are conveying to the consumer. Many of these packaging solutions may also focus on better preserving the product contained inside or to offer a “green” solution for the environmentally concerned consumer. 

Rug And Carpet Suppliers In India

Another popular product that is made in India include rugs and carpets. India has a significant demand for these products – not only locally, but also as part of the many products exported overseas. 

The carpets and rugs market in India continues to grow. A 2017 report claims that until 2021, we will see at least a growth of 5.9% in demand for carpets and rugs from Indian manufacturers and suppliers. This growth is more significant than any other nation throughout the world when it comes to carpets and rugs in particular. 

Various industries rely on carpets and rugs – even the transportation market needs mats and carpeting. Companies from other countries have an opportunity to import high-quality rugs and carpets from India at more cost-effective prices. There is a significant variation in the designs and layouts of carpets made by factories in India. This variety of designs allows for both modern and vintage looks. 

Shop owners can purchase rugs and carpets from India. Business owners export These carpets and rugs to their country, usually for wholesale. These owners then sell the rugs from India for a considerable markup. In turn, Carpet sellers can make a substantial profit. 

Manufacturers of certain products can take advantage of the fact that India offers a range of cost-effective solutions when it comes to buying rugs and carpets. Car manufacturers can benefit by implementing a lower priced carpet into the cars they manufacture. India’s carpet industry provides the same quality to the consumer but leads to a reduction in the costs involved in the manufacturing of the vehicle. This use case is, of course, only a single example of how specific industries can utilize the rugs and carpet market in India. 

Other Items Made In India

In this article, we looked at some of the most popular items exported from India. Beyond these items, India makes a wide variety of other products. Businesses and buyers who are looking for new opportunities to expand the products they sell should have a thorough understanding of all items that India manufacturers. 

Apart from the markets and options that we listed in the previous section, it is essential to note that there are more opportunities to explore. Here is a list of some markets that you might want to explore when looking at exporting products from India to your local country. 

● Hardware

● Construction materials

● Promotional products

● Handicrafts

● Forged components

● Machined components

● Sheet metal stamped components

● Sports Goods

● Medical disposable

● Industrial supplies

● Agriculture hand tools

● Bath and Bedding

● Fasteners

● Precision Brass Parts

● Stationery products

Other markets and manufacturing plants can be found in India too. India is a large and populous country, with a significant number of factories that manufacture a wide variety of products. 

When it comes to looking at what products India manufacturers from a business perspective, it might be a good idea to first start with the items that you might be interested in buying. Since there is an endless range of opportunities with products from India, knowing what type of product the business wants to carry can make the process significantly easier. 

Having a product or category in mind helps to filter through the suppliers and only compile a list of the ones that will be able to meet the needs of the particular business. The process becomes more comfortable, and finding the right supplier is a less time-consuming procedure the more you do it.  

Final thoughts about Made in India

India is famous for quite a large number of local products, with a particular focus often placed on spices and clothing. The country holds many opportunities for resellers who are looking to buy quality products at low prices. Buying products from India allows the business owners to sell these items at competitive rates, while still bringing in a profit for their own business. 

Despite the many products and opportunities in India, it is still a difficult country to navigate and buy goods in bulk for export. Each state and union territory has its own distinct culture, and the country is very complex from a bureaucratic point of view. For those that are familiar with importing from China, you need to understand that there are many vital differences when importing from India or any other country outside China.  

Many businesses have had success buying and exporting from India, so there is no reason why you can’t succeed. Let us know if you have any questions or comments.