India’s total exports, comprising merchandise and services, registered a robust growth of 11.37 per cent during the first quarter of the current financial year, reaching an estimated USD 232.73 billion in April-June 2026-27, compared with USD 208.98 billion during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Monday.
The growth was led by strong performance in merchandise exports, which rose 15.92 per cent year-on-year to USD 129.32 billion during April-June 2026-27, up from USD 111.57 billion in the same period last year.
Non-petroleum exports also maintained positive momentum, increasing 12.44 per cent to USD 106.30 billion, reflecting broad-based growth across manufacturing and value-added sectors.
For June alone, India’s total exports were estimated at USD 73.45 billion, registering a 9.48 per cent increase over June 2025. Total imports during the month stood at USD 88.76 billion, up 26.85 per cent, resulting in an overall trade deficit of USD 15.32 billion.
Merchandise exports in June rose to USD 40.41 billion, compared with USD 34.98 billion in the corresponding month last year, while merchandise imports increased to USD 70.84 billion from USD 54.08 billion.
According to the Ministry, the growth in merchandise exports during June was driven by gems and jewellery, engineering goods, organic and inorganic chemicals, electronic goods and rice.
Exports of gems and jewellery recorded a sharp increase of 34.64 per cent, rising from USD 1.79 billion in June 2025 to USD 2.41 billion in June 2026. Engineering goods exports grew 20.74 per cent to USD 11.48 billion, while organic and inorganic chemicals exports increased 19.42 per cent to USD 2.77 billion.
Electronic goods, one of India’s fastest-growing export segments, registered an 18.93 per cent increase to USD 4.93 billion, while rice exports rose 16.48 per cent to USD 1 billion during the month.
The Ministry also reported strong growth in exports of other cereals, handicrafts, meat, dairy and poultry products, iron ore, plastics, tobacco, marine products, petroleum products, drugs and pharmaceuticals, cotton yarn and processed food products, indicating broad-based expansion across sectors.
Services exports remained resilient during the quarter. Estimated services exports increased 6.16 per cent year-on-year to USD 103.41 billion during April-June 2026-27, while services imports stood at USD 53.97 billion, resulting in a services trade surplus of USD 49.43 billion.
On the import front, merchandise imports during April-June 2026-27 increased to USD 216.18 billion, compared with USD 180.31 billion a year earlier. The merchandise trade deficit widened to USD 86.86 billion during the quarter from USD 68.75 billion in the corresponding period of the previous year.
The Ministry said exports to several major markets recorded strong growth during June, with South Africa, Singapore, China, Oman and Malaysia emerging among the fastest-growing destinations. During the April-June period, Singapore, Tanzania, South Africa, Sri Lanka and China registered the highest growth in imports from India.
On the import side, Russia, China, the United States, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan were among India’s fastest-growing sources of imports during June, while Russia, China, Oman, the United States and Brazil recorded the highest growth during the April-June quarter.
