NEW DELHI: Even as most of last year saw Indian and Chinese soldiers engaged in a eyeball-eyeball standoff near LAC in eastern Ladakh and violent clashes between troops in Galwan valley, China continued to remain on top of the list of countries from where India imported goods during January-December, 2020.

In 2020, India imported goods worth $ 58.71 billion from China, MoS (commerce and industry) Hardeep Singh Puri told Lok Sabha on Wednesday in reply to a question by Trinamool Congress MP Mala Roy.

In his written reply, the minister said China, USA, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Iraq were the top five countries (in that order), from where India sourced its imports.

Giving details, the reply said the top five countries from where India imported goods during 2020 (January-December) are China with goods worth $ 58.71 billion, the US ($ 26.89 billion), United Arab Emirates ($ 23.96 billion), Saudi Arab ($ 17.73 billion) and Iraq ($16.26 billion).

The amount of total imports from the top five countries is worth $ 143.55 billion, which amounts to 38.59 % of the total imports which amounts to $ 371.98 billion.

The minister also informed the House that, “imports take place to meet the gap between domestic production and supply, consumer demand and preferences for various items”.

The major items of import from China, according to the minister, were “products such as telecom instruments, computer hardware and peripherals, fertilizers, electronic components/instruments, project goods, organic chemicals, drug intermediates, consumer electronics, electrical machinery etc”.

The amount of total imports from the top five countries is worth $ 143.55 billion, which amounts to 38.59 % of the total imports which amounts to $ 371.98 billion.

The minister also informed the House that, “imports take place to meet the gap between domestic production and supply, consumer demand and preferences for various items”.

The major items of import from China, according to the minister, were “products such as telecom instruments, computer hardware and peripherals, fertilizers, electronic components/instruments, project goods, organic chemicals, drug intermediates, consumer electronics, electrical machinery etc”.