China on Friday (October 16, 2026) said it was ready to work with India to address “each other’s” economic and trade concerns after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman criticised Beijing’s restrictions on market access for the country’s products.
China’s exports to India touched $125.19 billion, registering a 23.3% increase. Indian exports to China too continue to grow, touching $19.26 billion, registering a 40.7% increase compared to the same period last year.
India has consistently sought market access in China for products such as generic medicines, bovine meat, vegetables and other perishable goods, but made little progress despite years of engagement, Ms.
Sitharaman said in an interaction with the Atlantic Council on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok, Thailand. “Non-tariff barriers are the biggest hurdle in the trade between India and China,” she said, adding that China had used phytosanitary measures and other non-tariff restrictions despite the potential for discussions and investigations to resolve such issues. She said India had not adopted the approach of imposing punitive tariffs on trading partners to correct large trade imbalances, preferring instead to pursue negotiations, even if the process was time-consuming.
