Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: India’s exports increased by 6.74 percent to USD 36.38 billion in September, despite global headwinds, while imports rose 16.6 percent to USD 68.53 billion.
The country’s trade deficit stood at USD 32.15 billion last month, the media reported on Wednesday.
Imports surged due to the increase in imports of gold, silver, fertilizers, and electronics.
In the first two quarters of this fiscal (April-September 2025), exports increased by 3.02 percent to USD 220.12 billion. While imports rose 4.53 percent to USD 375.11 billion.
Amid the ongoing global trade war and Trump tariffs, India’s trade deficit in September 2025 widened to USD 32.15 billion, according to a media report on Wednesday.
India’s merchandise trade deficit widened to an 11-month high of USD 32.15 billion in September, the report said, quoting the Union Commerce Ministry’s data released on Wednesday, as imports surged faster than exports after President Donald Trump doubled tariffs to 50 percent on several Indian goods in late August.
The September merchandise trade deficit was higher than economists’ forecast of USD 25.13 billion.
The data surfaced amid rising hopes from trade talks scheduled with Washington this week. India is promising to increase US energy imports while aiming to address concerns over its Russian oil purchases.
From USD 35.10 billion in August, September exports rose to USD 36.38 billion, even with US tariff hikes hitting shipments of Indian goods such as textiles, shrimp, and gems and jewellery.
Total goods imports rose to USD 68.53 billion in September from USD 61.59 billion in the previous month.
The first six months of the fiscal year starting April saw goods exports to the US, India’s largest trading partner, rise over 13 percent to USD 45.82 billion from USD 40.42 billion a year earlier, while imports from the US climbed to USD 25.59 billion from USD 23.47 billion a year ago.
The government estimated services exports in September at USD 30.82 billion and imports at USD 15.29 billion, suggesting a total goods and services trade surplus at USD 15.53 billion.