India’s agricultural and food exports to West Asia, worth about $11.8 billion, could face disruptions as the conflict in the region affects shipping routes and pushes up insurance costs, a report by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said on Saturday.
In 2025, India exported cereals, fruits, vegetables, dairy products and spices worth around $11.8 billion to West Asia. The region accounted for 21.8 per cent of India’s total agri and food exports.
"The Gulf region's geographic proximity and large expatriate Indian population have historically made it a natural market for India's food exports. However, the conflict in the region is disrupting shipping routes, raising insurance costs and creating uncertainty in logistics," the think tank said.
Data shows the region’s importance for Indian exporters. India shipped cereals, fruits, vegetables and spices worth $7.48 billion to West Asia in 2025. The region accounted for 29.2 per cent of India’s global exports in this category.
Major products exported include rice, bananas, onions, vegetables, pulses, nuts, coffee, tea and a range of spices.
"Rice faces the largest potential impact. India exported USD 4.43 billion of rice to West Asia, accounting for 36.7 per cent of its global rice exports, making Gulf markets crucial for producers in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana," GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said.
India exported bananas worth $396.5 million to the region last year, along with onions and garlic worth $111 million.
Other exports included nutmeg, mace and cardamom worth $295.5 million, spice seeds such as cumin and coriander worth $163 million, and ginger and turmeric worth $173 million.
Coffee exports stood at $240.7 million, while tea shipments were valued at $410.1 million.
India also exported processed food, sugar and cocoa preparations worth $1.35 billion and fish, meat, frozen and processed products worth $1.81 billion to West Asia.
Dairy exports to the region were valued at $281.1 million in 2025, accounting for 28.9 per cent of India’s total dairy exports.
Shipments of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages stood at $197.5 million, which made up 43.3 per cent of India’s exports in that category.
According to GTRI, India’s agricultural exports have grown increasingly dependent on West Asian markets over the past decade, particularly for rice, bananas, spices, meat and dairy products.
"In 2025 alone, India exported nearly USD 11.8 billion worth of agricultural and food products to the region, accounting for more than one-fifth of the country's total agri exports," it said.
The Gulf has remained a key market because of its proximity to India and the presence of a large Indian diaspora.
"But the ongoing conflict in West Asia, along with disruptions to shipping routes and rising insurance costs, is now creating uncertainty for exporters and could directly affect farmers and food processors across several Indian states," Srivastava said.
