Exporters and importers database India: contacts and data

The two kinds of import-export database in India, the free government sources, and when a contact list of exporters or importers is what you need.

Updated 12 October 2026 · 7 min read

Two very different "import-export databases"

When people in India search for an exporters or importers database, they usually want one of two things, and they come from different places:

Trade (shipment) data: who shipped what, where, when and for how much: product, HS code, quantity, value, port and country. It is compiled from customs documents (shipping bills and bills of entry) and is used for market research, pricing and finding a competitor's buyers or suppliers.
Contact lists: the exporters and importers themselves, with the company name, contact person, mobile number, email and address. It is used to sell services to them, or to source from them.

Starleads sells the second kind. If you need shipment records, the free government sources below are the place to start, and private trade-data companies sell detailed shipment data by subscription.

Free government sources

TRADESTAT (Department of Commerce): India's Export Import Data Bank, with exports and imports by product and country. Aggregate figures, not company names.
Niryat portal: trade dashboards by product, state and destination.
DGFT: check a company's Importer-Exporter Code (IEC), one company at a time. Useful before a big deal.
APEDA exporter directory: registered exporters of agricultural and processed food products.
Export Promotion Councils: many councils publish member directories for their sector, such as engineering goods, textiles or chemicals.

Who buys exporter and importer contact lists

Freight forwarders, customs brokers and shipping lines looking for shippers.
Export packaging, inspection, testing and certification companies.
Banks and fintechs offering trade finance, forex and export insurance.
Export consultants, compliance and documentation services, and software sellers.
Manufacturers looking for exporters to sell through, and buyers sourcing Indian products.

Exporters database and list

Our Exporters list has 1,90,701 exporters in 523 cities: 91% with an email address and 68% with a mobile number, with the product category for most. It is also sold for 19 states, 46 cities and by product. The biggest:

By city

By product

Importers database

Our Importers list has 1,11,110 importers in 274 cities: 97% with an email address and 88% with a mobile number. It is also sold for 18 states and 26 cities:

Getting the most from the list

Filter by the category column. "Exporters" covers garments, handicrafts, pharma, engineering goods and more. Keep only the products you serve.
Lead with their trade. "We move garment shipments from Tiruppur to the EU every week" gets more replies than a general company profile.
Email first for importers. Nearly every importer contact has an email; send a short, specific note, then call those who open it. The email list guide covers how to send without landing in spam.
Verify before big deals. Check the IEC on the DGFT site and ask for GST and bank details, as you would with any new partner.

Questions people ask

Is exporters data the same as an exporters database?

People use both words for two things: shipment records (who exported what, where and for how much) and contact lists of exporters. This page explains both. Our lists are the contact kind, with 1,90,701 exporters and 1,11,110 importers.

Can I get an importers database for one state or city?

Yes. The importers list is sold for 18 states and 26 cities as well as all of India, and every list shows 60 real contacts before you buy, so you can check the trades in it first.