Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-nation visit to Jordan, Ethiopia and Oman, which is expected to underscore strategic and diplomatic partnerships, has renewed attention to two trade relationships that have lost momentum after a sharp post-pandemic spike. On December 15, India and Jordan signed five key agreements, as Modi made his first visit to the Arab nation.

Data shows that India-Jordan merchandise trade surged in 2022, with total trade jumping to $4.23 billion from $2.15 billion in 2019, before cooling rapidly. By 2024, it fell to $2.63 billion, a 38 percent decline from the 2022 peak. The slowdown was driven primarily by exports. India's shipments to Jordan dropped to $954 million in 2024 from $1.84 billion in 2022, a 48 percent fall. Imports also eased, declining to $1.67 billion from $2.39 billion during the same period. A closer look at product composition suggests the 2022 surge was unusually concentrated. Mineral fuels were the single biggest swing factor.

India's exports of mineral fuels to Jordan collapsed to about $233 million in 2024 from nearly $910 million in 2022, accounting for a large share of the overall export decline.