China India (Photo:VCG)

China's exports to India continued to show weakness with a 13 percent drop in the first 11 months of the year, customs data showed, as the unabated coronavirus affects internal demand in India, while the two countries' political standoff extends to the economic sector.

However, China's imports from India surged by 16 percent during this period, showing that China has refrained from politicalizing economic interactions with the neighboring country, experts told the Global Times.

According to customs data released on Monday, China exported about $59 billion worth of products to India from January to November in US dollar terms, down 13 percent. The decline has slightly narrowed compared with a 16.2 percent drop in the first 10 months this year.

Zhao Gancheng, a research fellow at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, attributed the decline mostly to India's economic slowdown as a result of the coronavirus, which dampened local demands.

It is also due to the rising "prejudicial attitude" from the Indian government toward China, as it mounts crackdown-like measures, including increasing tariff barriers, to restrict the inflow of made-in-China products into India, he said.

“The ‘thunder’ from the India government roars loudly, but we don't know how much rain falls. I think it should have played a part in the decrease of Chinese exports to India,” Zhao told the Global Times.

In comparison, China continues to import more from India despite political frictions with the country. China's imports from India amounted to about $19 billion in value in the first 11 months, up 16 percent. The increase was roughly the same as the first 10 months of the year.

"It shows that China still keeps an open mind about doing business with India despite political tensions. Compared with China's action, India's economic punishment on China is abnormal and morbid," Zhao added.

But Zhao predicted that, as the pandemic gradually wanes in India, China's India-bound export decline will narrow further.

"No matter if the government calls for economic decoupling with China, India has rigid demands for many Chinese products like medicine-related raw materials," he said.