The region covered by the present district of Auraiya had flourishing trade with the adjoining regions, represented by the present district of Farrukhabad, Mainpuri, Agra, Gwalior and Kanpur, since early times. Trade was huge when law and order prevailed and tended to decrease sharply in chaotic conditions. Although there was a lack of means of communications trade was carried on horses, ponies, and boats which sailed on the rivers Yamuna and Chambal. Chambal was mostly used by the trader to cross over to Bhind and Gwalior in the south of the district, while Yamuna was extensively used for trade with Delhi and Agra in the west and Kalpi and Allahabad in the east. As far back as the fifth and sixth centuries B.C. wealth was hoarded in brazen jars or in houses. Usury was frowned upon even when indulged in by members of traditional high castes though the Vaishyas charged more than the prescribed rates of interest. In the mediaeval period particularly in the reign of Akbar and his two successors, trade was flourishing and the money was available with the rich and affluent. Auraiya being situated between Agra and Allahabad was an important centre of trade for agricultural commodities, ghi and handloom cloth. 

There was a government treasury at Auraiya and a few sub treasuries at important places like Phaphund and Auraiya. The treasuries served as government banking institution for the collection of government dues, and for incurring expenditure on behalf of the government. The British established their own treasury at Auraiya after 1801, on taking the administration of the district.

In the beginning of the twentieth century there were a number of firms that advanced money. In large transactions, when valuables such as jewellery were deposited with the lender as security, the rate of interest varied from 6 to 12 per cent per annum, according to the proportion that the value of the property deposited bore to the sum advanced to the debtor. For loans advanced on personal security only, the interest charged was higher, the average being 18 per cent per annum.

In the last 35 years of the nineteenth century, the railway was the main artery of communication. East Indian Railway was easily accessible to every portion of the district. The chief exports were cotton, ghi, oil-seeds and imports-piece goods, metals, rice salt and sugar. Even ghi and wheat from adjacent areas of Gwalior were diverted to the railway stations in the district for export. The pattern of trade in the twentieth century was the same export of ghi, cotton, and other agricultural goods and import of cloth general merchandise, cotton-yarn and machinery.

However by the thirties, the growing of cotton declined sharply and by fifties there was no cultivation of cotton in the district.  With the development of roads, the pace of trade has increased and besides the railway a large number of trucks operate in the district. The road to Bhind and Madhya Pradesh has been bridged and now there is a continuous flow of goods and passenger traffic on his road. Ghi and food-grains are the main commodities of trade. Ghi is transported to as far as Punjab in the west. Bengal in the east and Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu and Bombay in south and south-west. Wheat is the main food-grain which is transported to the adjoining districts from the wholesale markets of the district.

The other important commodities of internal and external trade are gram, paddy, pulses and oil-seeds. The production of handloom cloth has also increased since 1972-73. Auraiya, Etawah and Jaswantnagar are the main trade centres of  handloom cloth. Fish is available in the rivers and lakes of both the districts in large quantities. Fish is sent to Delhi, Bihar and Bengal.

In 1974, there were 1279 km. of metalled roads in the district, which connect the various trade centres in the district and also link them with the adjoining districts and states. There are 3 railway stations and the Northern Railway runs for a total length of about 70 Km. in the district. The infrastructure of the district thus adds to the increasing trade. Approximately 58,830 persons were employed in trade and commerce in 1990 in Etawah and Auraiya districts jointly. There were 537 licensed traders in the district(Auraiya and Etawah jointly) in 1990-91 and about 260 commission agents also earned their livelihood from trade and commerce.

Auraiya district is one of the backward districts in industrial sector declared by the government of Uttar Pradesh state. Only the two town areas, Diviyapur and Auraiya, are equipped with main industries. The Rice-mills and Dal-mills are working well there in these two areas. Other than these mills some steel furniture and cement products small scale industries are there in Auraiya district located at different places. The raw material for these small scale industries is imported from Agra and Kanpur.

There are least facilities in the district to sale the products off and so the sale is mainly dependent on the districts nearby. Mainly, the rice, pulses and desi ghee is exported at large scale to the other districts and states.

In the Auraiya city itself the wooden furniture work is on large scale and due to its cost and quality factor, the furniture has made a good place in the market of nearby districts.

The Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL), one of India's leading Public Sector Enterprises, is the largest gas transmission and marketing company in the Country. The Company, possessing a well developed and efficient infrastructure, was established as a wholly owned Company of the Government of India in August, 1984 with 100% equity held by the Goverment of India and, within a short time, it has grown into one of the 'Navratna'enterprises and is ranked among the top ten companies in India. 

The various activities of the Company range from Gas marketing and distribution through trunk and regional systems, to retailing of Natural Gas to Gas processing for production and marketing of LPG, liquid hydrocarbons and Petrochemicals.The equity pattern in the Company has also changed and the Government today holds about 67% of the equity in the Company.

Today GAIL owns and operates over 4000 km of pipeline and has about 95% market share in the Natural Gas business in India. Also, more than half of the total Urea production in India is Gas-based out of which GAIL contributes more than 90%, thus making a significant contribution to India's agriculture sector also. During the year 1999-200, GAIL registered a turnover of Rs 84.1 billion with profits of Rs. 8.6 billion. 

GAIL has an IS0-9002 and ISO-14001 (for adherence to environmental standards) certification for its pipeline system and LPG plants. For the past five years the Company has been winning the 'Excellent Performance Award' from the Indian Government. GAIL has its Headquarters at New Delhi and the various branch and project offices are located all over India.

GAIL is also one of the largest LPG producers in India, with a liquid hydrocarbon production (including LPG) exceeding 1 million tonnes per annum, and it operates the country's largest Gas-based LPG extraction plant. GAIL has now introduced the concept of LPG pipelines in India, and is currently constructing the world's longest – 1,250 km – exclusive LPG pipeline from Gujarat in western India to Loni near New Delhi in north India. The project cost is estimated to be Rs 12.5 billion. The pipeline is currently under commissioning LPG has already been charged in the pipeline and is being taken by one of  the LPG marketing companies. at Ajmer in Rajasthan over 500 Km from Jamnagar where the LPG is received from Reliance Refinery. 

The Uttar Pradesh Petrochemical Complex(UPPC) of Gas Authority of India Limited is located at Pata, Distt. Auraiya, U.P. It was set up in accordance with GAIL’s mission to maximise the value addition from each fraction of Natural Gas.

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