Silicones: Movement

Drums and ISO tanks from China to India

What this tab covers How it moves between countries: share of output traded, physical form and transport, the largest exporters and importers, main routes, India's trade, and handling rules in transit.

Trade in 2024 UN Comtrade, HS 391000

World exports $6.53 bn 113 reporting exporters · about 1.21 m t Largest exporter China 22.1% of world exports Largest importer China 10.4% of world imports India imports $355.3 m
exports $76.9 m #8 importer · #14 exporter

Where it is exported from and imported to, 2024

Chart: World map of the largest trade flows

Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024, HS 391000: shares of reported world exports and imports by value. Country-to-country route lines are not available for this commodity yet. Hover a circle for values.

HS 391000: largest exporters

Country	Share	Value (US$)	Tonnes
China	22.1%	$1.45 bn	546k
United States	21.2%	$1.39 bn	131k
Japan	11.3%	$738.4 m	62k
France	5.9%	$386.1 m	65k
Netherlands	5.7%	$375.0 m	38k
United Kingdom	5.7%	$370.6 m	92k
South Korea	4.5%	$293.4 m	40k
Thailand	3.7%	$238.8 m	58k

HS 391000: largest importers

Country	Share	Value (US$)	Tonnes
China	10.4%	$829.1 m	109k
United States	9.2%	$729.8 m	121k
South Korea	6.6%	$522.1 m	127k
Germany	6.1%	$483.7 m	77k
Mexico	5.5%	$435.9 m	–
Italy	4.9%	$390.1 m	62k
Netherlands	4.8%	$385.4 m	76k
India	4.5%	$355.3 m	106k

UN Comtrade 2024, reported by each country (exports by exporters, imports by importers), all partners. Some countries (for example Russia and Iran) do not report, so their shares are missing. HS codes can be broader than the tile: check the code before reading a share as the whole market.

How it moves

Measure	Figure
Share traded	high for DMC and polymers from China; about 20-30% of siloxane crosses borders (indicative)
How it moves	DMC and fluids in drums, IBCs and ISO tanks; gums and rubber in boxes; sealants in cartridges. Chlorosilanes are made and used on site.
Routes and chokepoints	China to India, Southeast Asia, Middle East and Europe; Germany and US to the rest of the world for specialty grades.
India	India imports silicones in primary forms mainly from China (indicative). HS 391000: India imported $355 million (4.5% of world imports, rank 8) and exported $77 million (1.2% of world exports, rank 14) (UN Comtrade 2024).
Handling in transit	Most silicone polymers are not dangerous goods. Chlorosilanes are water-reactive and corrosive (for example UN1162 dimethyldichlorosilane, UN1250 methyltrichlorosilane) and rarely shipped.