Trade Indices

Index Numbers on Foreign Trade

The Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S) is responsible for collecting, compiling and disseminating Foreign & Inland Trade Statistics. Compilation of foreign trade index numbers is another important activity of DGCI&S. It was started in the year 1944 with 1938-39 as base period. Subsequently, it has undergone a number of revisions. The present Trade Indices are now being compiled as per the recommendations of the Technical Committee which was constituted in September 2006 under the Chairmanship of Dr. S. K. Nath, the then Director General of CSO.

As per the Committee’s recommendations, the Indices are compiled with the following characteristics:

Base Year: The base year is taken as 1999-2000.

Commodity Basket: All items (at ITCHS 8 digit code level) are taken in the commodity basket.

Methodology: Chain base system with Fisher’ ideal index number formula is used for calculating both unit value & quantum indices.

Terms of Trade: Three types of Terms of Trade -- Net terms of trade, Gross terms of trade, and Income terms of trade are being generated in present series.

Format of Presentation of Indices: The indices are calculated at 4 levels each for Export as well as Import, viz., Global level (SITC Classification), BEC (Broad Economic Category) level, Economic Region level, and Bilateral Country level.  And this is compiled for both Unit Value and Quantum Indices. The Terms of Trade is presented in separate table.

 Export Indices

 Import Indices

 Terms of Trade