Question

Collect information from the Economic Survey for various years published by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, on various items of export from India and its imports. Compare these with imports and exports from the pre-independence era. Also find out the names of prominent ports which now handle the bulk of India’s foreign trade.

Answer 1

1. India’s Foreign Trade Before Independence:
   1. India mainly exported raw materials and agricultural products such as cotton, jute, tea, indigo and spices.
   2. India mainly imported manufactured goods, machinery and metal products from Britain.
   3. Britain had major control over India’s foreign trade.
2. India’s Foreign Trade After Independence:
   1. Today, India exports engineering goods, medicines, chemicals, textiles, petroleum products, electronics and agricultural goods.
   2. India imports petroleum, machinery, electronic goods, gold, chemicals and transport equipment.
   3. India now trades with many countries worldwide.
3. Comparison between Before and After Independence:
   

   Before Independence	After Independence
   Mainly raw materials were exported.	Many manufactured goods are exported.
   Manufactured goods were imported mainly from Britain.	Fuel, machinery and electronics are major imports.
   Trade was controlled largely by Britain.	India follows its own trade policies.

4. Some major ports handling India’s foreign trade are:
   1. Mumbai
   2. Jawaharlal Nehru Port
   3. Deendayal Port
   4. Chennai
   5. Visakhapatnam
   6. Paradip
   7. Kolkata-Haldia
   8. Cochin
5. India’s foreign trade has changed greatly after Independence. Earlier, India mainly exported raw materials, but today it exports many manufactured and high-value products.