ADVERTISEMENTs
-10”-x-5.jpg)
Busting the India–US Trade Myth
Breaking a myth that India takes advantage of the US in business. In fact the US makes more money from India than the other way.
-
Jagat Shah - Thu, 04, Sep 2025
- 01:58 EDT
- 14
.jpg)
Stock image. / istock
In 2024, the United States exported approximately $41.8 billion in services to India, marking a 15.9 percent increase (around $5.7 billion) over the previous year, particularly in high-value sectors like finance, consulting, technology, and travel services, areas where India’s rising demand aligns with U.S. export capabilities.
Revenue of prominent American companies doing business in India US$ 81 B. PepsiCo India, a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary, posted revenues of $1.1 billion in 2024. Dixon Technologies, which assembles smartphones for Google and others, recorded revenue of $2.04 billion for the fiscal year ending March 2024, marking a 45 percent year-on-year increase.
Other USA Private Sector Footprints are across India in sectors like technology, consumer goods, manufacturing, and services with many driving rapid revenue growth through localization and supply-chain shifts like McDonald, Pizza Hut, StarBucks, KFC, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, GE.
In 2024, there were approximately 410,000 Indian students studying in the United States. These students are estimated to have spent between USD 13 billion and 14 billion on tuition, living expenses, and housing, making them a substantial economic contributor to the U.S. higher education and local service sectors, creating income for Americans.
USA companies filed 13,907 patent filings in India in FY 2024. Total value of digital investments or intellectual property (IP) revenue by U.S. companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, Apple in India in 2024 was US$ 20 B.
US companies did US$ 2 billion business in India in Defense & Aerospace (2024) sectors like drones, helicopters, predator, combat vehicles….
Nearly 1.9 million Indian tourists visited the U.S. in 2024. The average spend per Indian visitor was about USD 5,200. Multiplying the two figures gives an estimated total spending of approximately USD 9.9 billion
From the table (with sources mentioned) you can see the figures of India’s trade with the US (which does not include tourism spend of Indians in the US ) and it will be clear to any common person that the US makes more money from India than the other way around.
When the world’s largest democracy and the world’s largest economy trade together, it is more than business, it is the exchange of ideas, innovation, and infinite possibilities. Stronger India–U.S. trade means stronger jobs, stronger growth, and a stronger future for both nations.
When India’s spirit meets America’s scale, trade becomes a bridge, not just a trail. Together we weave prosperity’s thread, a future of growth lies just ahead.
भारत की शक्ति, अमेरिका का विस्तार, व्यापार से जुड़ें तो हो उज्ज्वल संसार।
मिलकर रचें समृद्धि का गीत, भविष्य बनेगा सुनहरा और अतीत।
This author is an international trade adviser and is based in Ahmedabad, India.
(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of New India Abroad)
Related
.JPG)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
ADVERTISEMENT
.jpg)
Video
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login