Among the following, which one is the largest exporter of rice in the world in the last five years?

The answer is India (B). Over 2015 to 2019, India was the world's largest rice exporter by volume, shipping roughly 10 to 11 million tonnes a year. Thailand and Vietnam were the next biggest exporters, while Myanmar's volumes were much smaller.

• China (A) is a producer and a net importer of rice in most years, not a major exporter. Its exports are small and limited to specialty varieties.
• Myanmar (C) exports a few million tonnes, a fraction of India's volume, and is not in the top tier.
• Vietnam (D) was a strong second or third exporter, but it trailed India by volume in this period.

The core concept is trade volume versus production or value. India's lead comes from large surplus production, Minimum Support Price procurement and FCI stocks, and a policy push to export. Export restrictions imposed in 2023 were later eased, and India remains the largest exporter by volume. This links to food security and India's role in global trade, which Mains often raises under agriculture and WTO issues.

Trap: Thailand was historically the top exporter and is often remembered as the answer. Check the recent five-year window, not older data.