Composition of India's foreign trade

• By composition of foreign trade, we imply the composition of exports and imports. 
• An examination of the composition of foreign trade enables us to analyse the progress and the rate and speed of structural changes operating in it. 
• If the country in question imports food grains and raw materials but exports finished products, machinery, capital equipment, we can conclude that it has reached a high level of economic development.
• If it exports primary products like jute, raw cotton, sugar, etc., but imports capital equipment and machinery, finished products, etc., we can conclude that the country is underdeveloped one. 
• Before the advent of planning in India, main exports were primary goods like jute, tea, cotton, hides and skins, manganese ore, mica, etc., while manufactured products constituted the bulk of imports. 
• During the planning period, the process industrialization and economic development included a number of changes in the composition of foreign trade.