The country's total imports from China stood at $45,629.11 million between April-December 2016, Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Commerce & Industry, stated in her Lok Sabha reply. It declined 2.3 per cent from the corresponding period previous year. Total imports from China grew around 2 per cent to $ 46,699.27 million during Apr-Dec 2015 from $ 46,015.02 million in Apr-Dec 2014.
The country's total imports stood at $ 2,08,230.65 million during April-Oct 2016 period, sliding around 11 per cent over the corresponding period in the previous year, as per the latest data available with the ministry.
China contributes close to 17 per cent of India's total imports. The top ten imported items from China include bulk drugs, computer hardware, consumer electronics, electric machinery and equipment, electronics components, fertilisers manufactured, industrial machinery for dairy, iron & steel and organic chemicals. The share of top ten imported items from China stood at around 56 per cent of total imports during Apr-Dec 2016.
Import of milk and milk products (including chocolates and chocolate products and candies/ confectionary/ food preparations with milk or milk solids as an ingredient) from China is prohibited till 23.6.2017 or until further orders, whichever is earlier. Besides, import of fireworks is restricted and for last three years no license or authorisation has been issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.
Government has also imposed prohibition on the import of mobile handsets without International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number or with all zeroes IMEI and import of CDMA mobile phones without Electronic Serial Numbers (ESN), Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID) or all zeroes ESN/MEID.