The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a strategically located region encompassing Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, represents a vast but underutilized opportunity for India’s agricultural exports. Despite historical ties, shared diplomatic frameworks, and complementarity in agri-food needs, India’s agricultural trade with the CIS remains marginal accounting for just 1.28 per cent of its total exports in 2023–24. In contrast, CIS imports from India were valued at USD 5.62 billion, while India’s imports from the region surged to USD 62.7 billion, resulting in a staggering trade deficit of over USD 57 billion.
With Western sanctions isolating Russia from traditional trade partners, ongoing disruptions in global agri-supply chains, and rising food demand in Central Asia, India has a timely opportunity to reposition itself as a credible, long-term supplier of agricultural and processed food products to the region. This report, developed under the APEDA-ICRIER Knowledge Partnership, draws from trade data, policy analysis, and field consultations with exporters and officials to offer a roadmap for unlocking India’s agri-export potential to three key CIS markets Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.
